A Whole New World
by TVfan
Summary: The Tripredicus Council is gone and Cybertron is saved, but that isn't quite the end. One last hold out must be defeated. The lost sparks must be saved. And the Beast Wars survivors and the Resistance must work out a plan for the future.
1. Chapter 1

Beast Wars and all characters and things related are copyright and trademark of Hasbro and Mainframe Entertainment. This work, however, is the original work of the author.

Note: This story takes place immediately after "Saving Cybertron".

A Whole New World

By TVfan

**Battle Zone**

Optimus and Queen slowly made their way through a sea of offline drones until they came to the area where Blackarachnia's team was still working to move some off the stasis locked transformers back to their makeshift base.

"How's it going?" Optimus asked as he came close.

"About as well as it can be, taking offline transformers to lay in a cave to wait to go into a CR chamber to be repaired," Blackarachnia sighed, "I take it we won?"

"The battle with the Tripredicus Council," Optimus commented, "Yes we won… although considering things, it'd be best that we withdraw."

"Withdraw?" Queen protested, "but we won! The Tripredicus Council is gone and you can free the sparks you care for so much!"

"Yes, but the bulk of our forces are in stasis lock and we have prisoners to see to," Optimus retorted, "And we have no knowledge of the bigger picture… How many drones did the Council have on Cybertron? And what was their disposition? Were they spread out and we've only destroyed a local unit? Or did we destroy the only forces they had on Cybertron itself?"

Queen didn't have the answer for that.

"And right now after all the damage that the Tripredicus Council's headquarters took, I doubt we'll find any circuitry undamaged to begin looking," Optimus finished.

"Yes… that was probably destroyed when their ship blasted off," Queen nodded.

"Do you know if they had more drones elsewhere on Cybertron?" Blackarachnia questioned.

"They do, as my cell here wasn't the only one on Cybertron," Queen answered, "Merely the one closest to their headquarters… though I can not be certain how much our victories here have helped the other cells, if at all."

"So what do we do now, Optimus?" Packadex asked as he returned from the underground to collect the next stasis locked transformer.

"We need to get everyone repaired," Optimus sighed, "that needs to be done first and foremost. Once everyone is in a position to wait for a CR chamber, and our prisoners are properly secured, we'll begin working on what our 'next move' will be."

"Why not appropriate one of the Tripredicus Council's other facilities in the area?" Spine wondered, "show that we are now the rulers of Cybertron."

"With our present numbers, I'd prefer not to mess with anymore booby trapped buildings until we're certain that we won't be getting anyone wounded with no one to back him up or get him or her out."

Spine looked to Queen, as he didn't like taking orders from a Maximal.

"Optimus is right," Queen said slowly, "let us rejoice in the victory… but let us also not do anything stupid. Even if there are only drones left on Cybertron at the moment… they'll still be a tough factor to deal with…"

"But if the Tripredicus Council is gone…"

"The drones that still function will carry on their basic tasks," Queen informed him, "they may be easier to deal with as the Council can't upload new strategies and tactics, but the ones they have can still be effective. Better to make sure we have the strength to take back the planet before do anything too ambitious."

Spine finally admitted defeat an followed Queen and Primal as they began helping Blackarachnia's team remove the wounded transformers.

**Omega One, in Orbit Around Cybertron**

The largest drone the Tripredicus Council had built hovered quietly over the planet. The weapons satellites didn't fire on it, as they had been put there to protect Omega One more then they were to protect the planet of Cybertron. The drone was the size of a small moon and had enough firepower to blast away at anything on Cybertron… but its targeting systems weren't good enough to guarantee that it could hit the Maximals and Predicons fighting the Tripredicus Council on the surface, so the lone Unicron spawn on the drone didn't order the drone to fire. It was more likely to miss the battle zone entirely.

And that spawn was Druyd. He was not by any means a fighter, but he had proved himself useful in one way to the Tripredicus Council, his means to communicate with the Oracle and the Matrix. And it was through him that the bargain to exchange living sparks for Unicron's had been made.

"And so the political fools have paid the price for making their only goal to be power," Druyd commented to himself as he watched the rocket carrying the Tripredicus Council explode and take them with it, "and the Maximals will ultimately reclaim Cybertron."

The concept of a transformer speaking directly with the Matrix and the Oracle was not unheard of. Considering the standard method of Cybertronian reproduction, it was even necessary. As a result of their link with a field that many outside of Cybertronians would consider mythical and fictional, the transformers that did forge these sort of direct links were usually weak in physical nature.

Their minds, however, was another story. They were usually best and the brightest among any of the factions, Autobot, Decepticon, Maximal, Predicon. But because they were more closely linked to the Oracle and Matrix then other transformers, they commonly took a more religious way of viewing things. That their actions were intended by the Matrix and the Oracle to happen. Groups like the Maximal Elders and the Tripredicus Council made political decisions based on what they thought was best or what would attain them power. This of course led to wars between the two factions, and when transformers like Druyd became involved, these wars usually became worse.

The Tripredicus Council wanted to recreate Unicron to be their ultimate weapon to us against the Maximals, against Earth, or any other planet, or planet-like form. Druyd wanted to recreate Unicron, because Unicron was a transformer who's power equaled the Matrix or the Oracle alone, and was thus a god among those of Cybertronians. And who argues with God?

**Underground Base**

"This is a total nightmare," Rhinox commented as the last of the stasis locked transformers were brought in, "a complete and total nightmare."

"I know, old friend, but we couldn't avoid it in this case," Optimus Primal replied with a sigh, "and thankfully it's only stasis lock. The Council's best weapon was the warships they brought in… but even they weren't able to keep a steady stream of fire down on our groups."

"And we won, Cybertron is safe," Queen added, "all that needs to be done is repair those that were damaged."

"The internal repair systems on most of them will likely deal with the bulk of the injuries by the time we can rotate them all through the CR chambers," Rhinox answered.

"We still won, the Tripredicus Council is dead," Queen pointed out.

"Maybe Cybertron is safe from them, but until we can get everything up and running again… and until we can recover the sparks that the Tripredicus Council stole to try and get Unicron back, this planet is very much in danger… particularly if they had a transformer on this 'Omega One' when they were destroyed. He now has no reason to spare Cybertron and may try anyway… and we do not have the forces to stop him. Even you and Optimus need time in a CR chamber."

"If they could have reactivated Unicron, they would have done so by now," Queen retorted, "they don't have enough sparks to make the switch."

"And once we're repaired, we'll go to this Omega One, and make sure it can't be done," Optimus sighed, "if that means destroying the drone, then so be it."

"Maybe it will have some of the information on where they have the sparks," Blackarachnia commented.

"And how are we to destroy a drone the size of a moon?" Rhinox questioned, "we've essentially destroyed all we have in this battle…"

"It's likely saved Cybertron," Queen answered back, "they didn't get enough sparks to trade for Unicron's spark and we will have time to get a ship into orbit and destroy it."

"For now," Rhinox snorted, seeing the casualties they had suffered as too much for the price of victory, "if this drone is the size of a moon, don't you think that whoever is commanding it will now order the drone to bombard the planet now that the Tripredicus Council is no longer on the planet to require Cybertron to remain?"

"The drone is lifeless," Queen answered, "Not a threat."

Rhinox was about to argue when Optimus cut him off.

"We know things aren't over, old friend," Optimus told Rhinox, "but dealing with the Tripredicus Council had to be done. I doubt we could have gotten a ship into orbit to go after the drone and find the sparks they stole while they lived. It's tough, but it's also the truth."

Rhinox only sighed while he looked to the wounded transformers laying in stasis lock.

"So what do you plan to do Optimus?" Rhinox asked after a moment.

"For the time being, we're only to rest and heal up from the battle itself," Optimus sighed, "once a few of our faster bots are back online we can begin searching for some of the other resistance cells on Cybertron."

"The cells on Cybertron?" Rhinox asked.

"They don't have the sparks to reactivate Unicron," Optimus answered, "not at the moment. If they did, we'd be in worse shape right now. It will allow us to figure out how many drones the Tripredicus Council had on Cybertron and allow us to figure out where we can get a ship."

"Which we'd need to go after Omega One anyway," Queen added.

"What about the shipyards here?" Rhinox asked.

"Omega One is the size of a moon," Optimus sighed, "it may take a fleet to destroy it once we can rescue the sparks… we're going to have to gamble that they won't get the sparks they need elsewhere."

**Omega One**

"Gone," Druyd mumbled as he walked along one of the interior passageways inside Omega One, "Gone… and with them the authorization to activate Unicron."

The thin 'mystic' transformer walked alone through the empty hallways of what would be Unicron's body once enough sparks had been gathered. Officially, with the Tripredicus Council gone, he lacked the authority to make the deal for Unicron's spark, but as a 'true believer' authority wasn't an issue.

"NO! It MUST come," Druyd then growled with determination, "UNICRON MUST BE REBORN!"

The last authority figure the Tripredicus Council had then moved with purpose to the spark chamber, which was in the same room as the link with the Matrix and the Oracle. Once he arrived he arrived there he opened a connection with the Oracle.

"How many sparks are needed to enact the trade to active Unicron's spark?" Druyd demanded.

"Twenty sparks are still needed," a disembodied mechanical and almost female voice answered, "and the number grows with each transformer destroyed by Unicron's spawn."

"What?" Druyd roared, "Primal and the Resistance may control Cybertron, but it will be a planet under siege! All of Cybertron's colonies are under attack by Tripredicus Council forces! And Earth has been negotiated into not interfering with our affairs!"

"Yes, but your war claims the lives of progressively more sparks," the Oracle answered in an almost scolding voice, "with each life you take the more precious those that remain become. Therefore if you wish to resurrect a spark that has been dead since the Great War of Cybertron, you must retrieve now twenty one sparks… or your war must end."

"Unicron was a God among all transformers!" Druyd challenged, "how can you challenge his will?"

"We are the Oracle, mystic transformer," the Oracle answered, "keeper of all that was and all that will be among Cybertronians. Even Unicron's powers can not compare with that. You have your deal that you have arranged. We suggest you either give it up or produce twenty one additional live sparks. Or his spark will not be allowed to leave the Matrix where he pays for his misguided and tyrannical deeds."

Druyd only growled and slammed his fists down. It was here that the more political or warrior minded Predicons were needed. Druyd's mystical connections counted for little in direct fighting. There, he had had to rely on the political skills of the Tripredicus Council and the military strength of the armies of drones that they had build to augment their warrior transformers.

While it was winning in the renewed war against the Maximals, Decepticon descended Predicons, and all others who opposed Unicron, it was not easy. They were winning, but more often then not, it took even more forces then expected, particularly on colony worlds where they hadn't been able to infect the transformers there with a transformation lock virus. And by the time they won, their enemies had been destroyed. In some cases, after they had destroyed countless drones in the process.

Druyd had no answer to these problems. He could only turn to what he could do, and that was to take command of the Tripredicus forces, for Unicron MUST return as far as he was concerned. He moved to a communications center and contacted all the Tripredicus forces outside of Cybertron. There were still drones on Cybertron, but they would follow a master control signal from Omega One, which Druyd didn't need to touch.

"Druyd? What is this?" one of the field commanders questioned, the sounds of battle echoing in the background, "this frequency is reserved for the Tripredicus Council."

"The Tripredicus Council has been defeated by Optimus Primal and the Resistance," Druyd answered, "I am now in command of the Tripredicus Faction. You must recover all of the sparks that you can. Alive."

"Alive?" a second commander asked, "have you lost it? If…"

"Cybertron is useless!" Druyd roared back, "Regaining Unicron has been the true goal all along, and we need more then twenty live sparks to do it! Gather all of the live sparks you can and bring them to Omega One."

"That could take time," a third commander spoke, "in many places the Predicons not descended from Unicron have joined with the Maximals… restraining them to remove the spark while it's alive will take time."

"Can it be done?" Druyd demanded.

"Yes, but…"

"Forget the time," Druyd roared again, "Omega One is well enough armed to take on our warships, and the satellite grid is still online. Primal stands no chance of landing here."

"Very well," the first commander finished and terminated the link.

Druyd only growled to himself. It was that sort of thing that frustrated him. No one seemed to have the same level as fanaticism as he did. He could only hope that the commanders would carry out their orders, and Omega One truly was safe from any resistance attack.

**Underground Base**

When Cheetor emerged from the CR tank in the underground resistance base, he noticed all of the damage that had been sustained in their last battle with the Tripredicus Council. A good many transformers were in stasis lock, still, and among many of those who weren't in stasis lock, it was still clear that they needed time in the CR chamber. He was greeted by Optimus shortly after making his way out of the CR chamber.

"How are we doin' big bot?" Cheetor asked his leader.

"About as well as we can expect, given all the Tripredicus Council threw at us in the battle," Optimus sighed.

"I'll say," Cheetor nodded, "a division's worth of drones, or more, all their available sparked transformers on Cybertron, three warships plus their drone crews, and the Council itself."

"And ultimately, we won," Optimus sighed, "now the task is to secure Cybertron itself."

"This isn't another suicidal charge is it?" Cheetor wondered.

"I hope not," Optimus sighed, "come with me. The last of the ones we'll need for this mission are ready. This shouldn't be too much of a briefing."

Cheetor nodded and followed the Maximal commander to another section of the cave. Rhinox was left in charge of dealing with the wounded, both in and out of stasis lock. Optimus lead Cheetor to a small circle of transformers in a different area of the main cave. Silverbolt, Airazor, Runner, Terrorsaur, and Waspinator stood in a loose circle with Queen standing in the center waiting for Optimus and Cheetor. Once they were all together, Optimus and Queen began the briefing.

"I will first congratulate all of you on your valor in defeating the Tripredicus Council," Queen spoke, "thanks to you, the path to a free Cybertron is now open."

There were a couple of soft cheers, but with so many transformers still needing time in a CR chamber, there wasn't that much enthusiasm.

"But our mission is not over," Queen continued, "we must make contact with the other cells on Cybertron and destroy the last of the Tripredicus drones."

"I take that's why we were rushed through the CR chambers?" Cheetor asked.

"Yes," Optimus nodded, "Queen is fairly certain that the Tripredicus Council only had drones elsewhere on Cybertron. Easily handled. Once that is done, contact must be made with these other cells."

"And suppose these other cells have been destroyed?" Silverbolt asked.

"Still destroy the drones in the area," Queen answered, "we can not allow any transformer who holds out for the Tripredicus Council's cause to have any place where they can easily land and dominate Cybertron."

"We have to hope for now that we beat the Council in time to save them, Silverbolt," Optimus sighed.

"Of course," Silverbolt nodded.

"How many drones are there in these other areas?" Cheetor asked curiously.

"Not likely as many as the Council kept near the Capitol city on Cybertron," Queen answered and pulled out a series of small scanners, "these should allow you to track the other cells."

"And how could the Tripredicus Council NOT detect this signal as well?" Terrorsaur questioned, though far more curious then questioning.

"Oh, they COULD detect the signal," Queen sighed, "it's why all the cells on Cybertron remained on the run. The main cell with me only stopped running because Primal here was able to provide us with reinforcements."

"That and the device we had that sent out our signal was destroyed early on," Runner added nervously, "there is no guarantee that they didn't do the same to the other cells."

Queen glared at him angrily, and the transformer that had been part of her resistance the longest shrunk away.

"We should still look," Optimus sighed, "If we can gain complete control of Cybertron, we can move on to what is the next big task, destroying Omega One."

"Uni-bot can't threaten now, can it?" Waspinator asked nervously.

"The drone isn't much of a threat," Queen dismissed the possibility of Omega One taking on a reactivated Unicron, "if they had the sparks to make the trade, they would have done so by now."

"But it is why we must act quickly to oust the last drones and recover the other resistance cells," Optimus added, "if they're alive, we must get to them before whatever drones they have can capture them… particularly if they are still suffering from the transformation lock virus. Freeing them and stopping the drones means that any additional live sparks that they would need would come from the colonies, which would buy us time to destroy Omega One."

"And write the final chapters to this war," Queen nodded.

"Then we will go," Terrorsaur spoke firmly and turned to leave the base.

The other transformers in this group were quick to follow. Optimus only sighed as he watched them go.

"So what will we do while they're on this quest?" Queen questioned.

"You and I are both due some time in the CR chamber," Optimus sighed, "and we still have our prisoners to guard and the wounded to take care of. Though I'm tempted to send Blackarachnia to the space port."

"The space port?" Queen asked.

"See if they have any ships we can use there," Optimus sighed, "they may not have moved all of them."

Queen only nodded.

**Shortly After…**

Airazor flew at top speed from the capitol city area in a westward direction. The cell she was to meet up with was on the other side of Cybertron supposedly and she would need all her speed just to get there. The flight was long, even with her speed, and Airazor spent her time actually wondering on the situation she was getting into. Would their be many drones? Would she arrive in time? These were the thoughts that took up her time.

Hours later, when she arrived at the area, she activated the scanner, and saw that it was still active. That had to mean that the cell was still active. But as she approached she found that her arrival was in just the nick of time. Five jet drones were firing on something at ground level. There were too many buildings for Airazor to see who was on the ground or how many, but figured removing the drones from the air would be a good start.

Turning to her robot mode and climbing, Airazor prepared to launch her attack on the Tripredicus drones. While they weren't paying attention to her, she figured she could fire at least two of them without taking fire, and could then deal with the rest.

"Here goes nothing," Airazor commented as she reached the high point behind the jet drones.

And then she dove, firing her darts at the closest jet drones to her as she went. Too Airazor's surprise, their lack of knowledge of her arrival allowed her to destroy three of them before the last two turned to shoot at her. When they did, the swiveled slightly to let Airazor fly past them and then fired on her as she passed.

The shots did little damage to her armor, but one did nick a wing joint, forcing Airazor to land on the roof of a building. As she landed, she looked up to see the remaining two drones targeting her, rather then whoever they had targeted before. Airazor was forced to roll along the roof to avoid their first shots and managed to fire a dart, which destroyed one of the two remaining drones. Airazor didn't get the chance to fire on the last drone as a shot rose up from the ground and hit it, and destroyed the last drone.

The Peregrine Falcon transformer then moved slowly to the edge of the building to see what was going on at ground level. And it turned out to be a pair of transformers, each armed with a fairly cobbled together blaster, but they were more then enough to deal with the last drone. Returning to beast mode to repair the damage sustained in the brief firefight, Airazor then flew down to these transformers.

"Thanks," one of the two transformers spoke, "You saved us."

"No problem," Airazor answered, "Are there any more of you?"

"No," the second transformer answered, "we are all that's left of this cell here."

"What about the drones?" Airazor asked nervously.

"That was the last of them too," the first answered, "they've still hunted us… but something's been drawing the Tripredicus drones away of late. They had more here… but recently most of them have been drawn to the capitol city."

Airazor slowly nodded. That likely meant that the bulk of the drones here were used up in the fight against the Tripredicus Council.

"That was likely my group," Airazor told them, "I'm Airazor. I'm with Optimus Primal's Maximals."

"Optimus Primal? He was lost chasing after Megatron," the second answered.

"It's a long story," Airazor answered, "which we have time to tell."

The first nodded, "I'm Sly and this is Bandit."

"Good to meet you," Airazor replied, "I'm under orders to bring you back to the capitol city. There you can be cured of the transformation lock virus you're suffering under and we can prepare to free the sparks that the Tripredicus Council stole…"

"But the Tripredicus Council…" Bandit began.

"Gone and defeated," Airazor informed him, "Optimus and Queen were able to defeat them completely."

"Then you bring good news," Sly replied, "you can tell us the story on the way."

Airazor nodded and began to walk back with them. It would take awhile as neither Sly nor Bandit appeared to be a flyer, but she felt relieved at having freed some of the citizens of Cybertron from being captured.

**Shipyards, Cybertron's Capitol City**

Blackarachnia and Packadex made their way into the shipyards of Cybertron's capitol city. From here the Maximals had built their exploration ships and the few 'warships' that the Maximals had built. After the Tripredicus Council had taken over Cybertron, these facilities were put to use to expand their fleet of warships, mostly crewed by drones.

And they generally guarded these spots well. But the shipyards had fallen victim to the same events that had weakened the Tripridicus faction's grip on Cybertron since Optimus Primal's Maximals returned. The drones functioned best when supporting normal transformers, or in extremely large numbers. At first they had both, but once Cybertron 'fell' and the resistance declined into the small groups that Optimus would find, the bulk of the Tripredicus forces was sent to take the Maximal and Predicon colonies, where they largely had neither. And once Optimus Primal returned to Cybertron, his followers essentially routed a much weaker foe then, in theory, there truly was.

"You'd think they would have left a non-fighting drone to run the yards," Packadex commented, "or to at least run diagnostics."

"A lot of those systems probably flat lined when the Tripredicus Council tried to flee Optimus and Queen," Blackarachnia commented as she overlooked the deserted shipyards.

To their fortune there were two ships that were nearly completed. It would take a lot of effort by nearly all of the transformers available, but if it could be completed it would serve as an excellent assault vehicle. The rest of the shipyards were deserted with the drones consumed in the recent fight in front of the Tripredicus Council Headquarters. To Packadex it gave the city a rather 'ghost town' type of atmosphere.

"Blackarachnia to Optimus," Blackarachnia said after a few moments.

"Optimus here," the Maximal commander's voice spoke through the radio comm.-link.

"We've secured the main shipyards here," Blackarachnia reported, "two ships are far enough along in construction that we can complete the work."

"How many would be needed?" Optimus asked.

"Just about everyone, but it'll be only the finishing touches on the ship," the transmetal two spider answered.

"Any sign of drones?" Optimus responded.

"It's a ghost town up here, sir," Packadex answered, "devoid of any activity."

"Keep a look out," Optimus advised, "we don't know how many ships the Tripredicus Council called to help them before they were defeated. If they make landings, do not engage them. Figure out how many there are and then return to base."

"And if there are no landings?" Blackarachnia asked.

"If there are none, hold the position until those that will be assaulting Omega One can arrive," Optimus answered.

**Elsewhere on Cybertron**

Cheetor ran as hard as he could. Most of the rescue teams were fliers. He and Runner were the only transformers sent on the mission that were largely ground based transformers. Of course by activating the rocket on his back the transmetal two cheetah could gain enough speed that he would actually fly, but that couldn't go for too long. And at the moment he needed to save all the strength he had for the coming fight. Saving the last resistance cells on Cybertron.

Cheetor ran for hours when he came to a smaller city when the signal he had been following cut out. At first he thought that those transformers had been destroyed, but he then heard an automated voice shouting commands.

"MOVE!" a robotic voice shouted.

"Great, a drone that can talk," Cheetor commented as he moved forward.

He then came forward do see three transformers, all of them in bad shape being moved by five tank drones and a jet drone into a small shuttle like craft. A very small diagnostic drone seemed to be leading the group of drones. It was the diagnostic drone that had done the talking. Taking his robot mode, Cheetor readied his blaster and moved closer, hoping to get rid of the bulk of the drones before they could make off with their prisoners.

Cheetor was not entirely successful as one of the tank drones turned his head and spotted him. The drone turned and fired before anything could happen. Cheetor dodged the shot and blasted the jet drone and the tank drone that shot at him, but once that was done, the battle was on.

"A Maximal!" the diagnostic drone gasped, "get him!"

The remaining four tank drones all tuned to Cheetor and fired at him, catching him in a fairly open area. One shot caught him while he was moving, and sent him rolling back.

"Give it up drone," Cheetor challenged, "you know you're beat!"

He then blasted the two closest tank drones while the last two continued to fire on him. The diagnostic drone cowered by one of the tank drones when one of the transformers that the drones had been herding clubbed him with a piece of what had been the wing of the jet drone. When the last two tank drones turned to fire on their prisoners, Cheetor finished them off, and then approached.

"As I said, you're beaten," Cheetor said confidently to the diagnostic drone, as he held it up to him.

"The war you fight is a war against fate," the drone answered, "my instructions were to bring the resistance to Omega One. To insure that Unicron is restored to his place as ruler over all."

"And you failed," Cheetor smirked.

"There millions more," the drone answered, "my defeat is inconsequential. Others will succeed."

"Not on Cybertron they won't," one of the resistance members growled and clubbed the drone again, this time destroying it.

Cheetor allowed the three resistance members to recover before introducing himself.

"I am Virox, leader of this cell," the one who had clubbed the drone spoke, "these are Surge and Ultra Mantex."

"Ultra Mantex… you wouldn't…" Cheetor began.

"Ultra Magnus was one of my ancestors, yes," Ultra Mantex answered, "and we are grateful for your coming to our aide."

"No problem," Cheetor responded, "I'm Cheetor. I've been sent to rescue the other resistance cells now that the Tripredicus Council is gone."

"They're gone?" Virox asked.

"Yes," Cheetor nodded, "Optimus and Queen beat them."

"Optimus, as in Optimus Primal?" Ultra Mantex gasped, "he and his crew had gone missing!"

"Chasing Megatron," Surge added.

"We came back," Cheetor answered.

"Amazing," Ultra Mantex commented.

"And Megatron's been beaten as well," Cheetor added.

Virox gave him a sour look but Cheetor shrugged it off. For the moment he was more concerned with the shuttle that sat near them.

"And they all came down in this thing?" Cheetor asked.

"Yes," Virox answered, "probably to get our sparks and take them off world. We should destroy it!"

Cheetor looked at and shook his head, "No. I got a better idea. We use the shuttle."

"Are you nuts?" Surge gasped, "it'll take us to wherever the Tripredicus Council wants us!"

"The Tripredicus Council was incinerated when their rocket ignited and blasted off and then exploded," Cheetor answered, "they're gone for good. Queen and Optimus made sure of that… and it will take us where WE want to go if we can deactivate any auto-pilot feature it has."

"Can you do that?" Ultra Mantex wondered.

"I'm pretty sure I can," Cheetor nodded.

"And what would we do with a Tripredicus shuttle?" Virox asked.

"Well, with the Tripredicus Council gone and the 'resistance' in command of Cybertron, Optimus and Queen have agreed to recall all the other cells to the capitol city and to our present base there," Cheetor explained, "I and a few others have been ordered to bring you back. This shuttle could make that job a lot easier… and then there is the issue of Omega One."

"Omega One?" Virox asked.

"From what we've found out, it's a massive drone," Cheetor answered, "and factors into the Tripredicus Council's plans. They intended to switch living sparks with the Matrix for Unicron's spark."

"Monsters," Surge gasped, "that monster nearly ATE Cybertron!"

"That was their plan," Cheetor sighed, "we believe that this drone is in space above Cybertron and the shuttle might be a way to get a strike team onto the drone and liberate the sparks."

"Get to work with fixing the auto-pilot then," Virox commanded, "Queen doesn't take kindly to slackers."

"I'm no slacker at anything," Cheetor challenged back, "and I'm no Predicon. My leader is Optimus Primal. Cybertron will be a democracy when this is all over. Not a Predicon tyranny."

"We won it fair and square," Virox growled back, "WE rule Cybertron."

"You stabbed us in the back and worked FOR the Tripredicus Council to do it," Cheetor poked Virox with one of his claws, "you only rebelled when you learned that you didn't factor into their plans for glory. It took our return from the Beast Wars against Megatron to save you from yourselves."

Virox was actually knocked backward by the challenge, but made no further move against the transmetal two cheetah. A small section of his armor was actually cut open where Cheetor poked him, and he rapidly didn't want a fight at the moment.

"I would tend to think that the Predicons that were descended from the Decepticons were mislead by the Tripredicus Council," Ultra Mantex spoke, trying to diffuse the situation, "from what I've learned from a few Predicons that lived in my neighborhood, is that ultimately there isn't all that much that truly differs between us."

Cheetor only sighed and entered the shuttle. The issue of what would become of Cybertron would have to be solved by bots smarter then him. He went straight to work on fixing the shuttle's systems, which was astonishingly easy. It was if whoever had sent it had no consideration of the possibility that the shuttle might be lost.

"Okay we're ready to go," Cheetor spoke, "On to picking up the others!"

**Elsewhere**

Waspinator had been buzzing through the air as fast as he could. Like the other fliers, he had to go the farthest to get to the other resistance cells. As he approached the last the area he was assigned to, he spotted a shuttle parked in a large open area, just as the signal cut out.

"NO!" Waspinator buzzed and dove toward the shuttle when it suddenly lifted into the air, leaving two motorcycle drones behind.

The transmetal two wasp fired his 'stingers' at the shuttle and the drones in an attempt to try and prevent whoever was in the shuttle from being taken. The two drones were easily destroyed, but Waspinator discovered that the shuttle had shields. His stingers bounced harmlessly off them, and the craft rapidly left Cybertron's atmosphere. Waspinator tried to pursue, but the shuttle made it into space, leaving Waspinator to collapse exhausted back to the planet's surface.

He landed fairly roughly not to far from where he had seen the shuttle take off from. After a few moments, Waspinator got up to see another shuttle approaching. He readied his weapons in case it was an attacker. He made his way around to where the opening to the shuttle was. As the doors opened, he gave a command.

"All right, come out with your hands up!" Waspinator shouted.

It was Cheetor that emerged from the shuttle.

"Hey relax, it's me," Cheetor spoke, "What's got you all spooked?"

"Why Cat-bot arrive in shuttle that just leave?" Waspinator asked.

"What?" Virox asked he emerged from the shuttle just behind Cheetor, "we only just got here… and we only came here because cat-boy saw you falling from the sky."

"That not shuttle Waspinator saw earlier?" Waspinator buzzed.

"No," Cheetor sighed, "tell us what happened, and slowly. What did you see?"

"Waspinator buzzing along to rescue other resistance members as ordered, when suddenly Waspinator sees shuttle guarded by cycle-bots," Waspinator answered, "Waspinator destroyed cycle-bots, but shuttle escaped into outer space."

"The Tripredicus followers are up to something," Virox growled, "and this fool was too slow to get here in time."

"I'm sure he did his best," Ultra Mantex told Virox, "that is the best we can do."

"If what the cat says is true… that they are trying to bring back Unicron…" Virox spoke slowly, "even with Cybertron free and the Tripredicus Council gone… we may still be running out of time."

"We'll save them," Cheetor said, "don't worry."

**Shipyards, Much Later**

Blackarachnia quietly scanned the skies for any sign of trouble, or maybe one of the flyers returning with resistance cell members. Things had largely been quiet, as Optimus was still busy dealing with the aftermath of the battle against the Tripredicus Council.

"Look!" Packadex spoke, pointing up and to the west of their location.

Blackarachnia looked up to see a shuttle approaching the shipyards, and coming in slow, as if to land. She could see the Predicon insignia on it, but she couldn't tell it was someone from outside Cybertron that was friendly to the resistance or if it was a Tripredicus attack.

"Get down," Blackarachnia lunged at Packadex and pulled him behind one of the manufacturing cranes.

"What they couldn't see us," Packadex grumbled as Blackarachnia peered out.

"Can't take the chance," Blackarachnia answered, "You remember Optimus's orders. We aren't to engage them. We're see what their report the main activity to Optimus."

As she looked out, she saw the shuttle doors open and several damaged looking transformers slowly made their way off.

"The Tripredicus Council sure trashed everything," one of them commented offhand.

"And the battle to oust them couldn't helped the décor either," another snickered in an almost humorous tone.

Then Blackarachnia saw Cheetor and some of the others leave the shuttle. She half wondered how the transmetal two cheetah had gotten it. With his appearance, Blackarachnia and Packadex left their 'hiding' spot.

"Interesting ride you got there, spots?" Blackarachnia quipped, "where did you find it?"

"About where I was supposed to go to get a resistance cell freed," Cheetor answered, "what are you two doing here?"

"Securing the shipyards so that we have something to strike at Omega One with," Packadex answered.

"I'd think that shuttle will help," Cheetor commented, "the Tripredicus are using these shuttles to try and grab resistance members. They got the cell that was in Waspinator's sector."

"Dang," Packadex grumbled while Blackarachnia shook her head.

Blackarachnia half expected Waspinator to fail. He didn't do well in the Beast Wars, usually getting destroyed rather quickly. But for small tasks, he was useful. In this case though, it would mean that they would all have a lot of work to do.

"Maybe we can get into Omega One with that shuttle then," Blackarachnia commented.

"Maybe, but we'll have to get in their quickly before whoever is running Omega One gets enough sparks to bring back Unicron."

**Omega One**

Druyd stood quietly as two transformers were pushed out of the shuttle by cycle drones.

"This is it?" Druyd questioned, "I ordered all drones to capture the remaining resistance cells outside the capital and these two are all you bring me?"

The drone gave a few clicks that seemed to indicate that these two were the only ones they could find.

"ARRGGGH," Druyd growled, "why can't anyone do anything right?"

"Because you're in the wrong," one of the two transformers said weakly.

"Be lucky that your spark plays a much grander part in things then you know," Druyd answered and commanded the cycle drones, "take them to the spark chamber. See to it that they join the others we've gathered."

**To Be Continued…**


	2. Chapter 2

Beast Wars and all characters and things related are copyright and trademark of Hasbro and Mainframe Entertainment. This work, however, is the original work of the author.

Note: This story takes place immediately after "Saving Cybertron".

A Whole New World, Chapter 2

By TVfan

**Underground Base**

"So, Primal, what is your plan to get us onto Omega One?" Queen asked, "If I may ask. You have to know that the weapons satellites will destroy that little shuttle you've liberated."

"I was thinking about a two pronged effort actually," Optimus Primal sighed as he and Queen were discussing things, "Dinobot and a small group and pilot he warship we've commandeered at the shipyards and directly engage the satellites. While he deals with them, we can sneak into Omega One and either destroy the station and liberate the sparks, or at least take over the station."

"We might need someone like Dinobot to deal with any drones on Omega One," Queen pointed out, "You know he can't do both."

"The drones won't be a problem, and whoever is monitoring the station will be easily overpowered," Optimus answered, "Dinobot isn't the only transformer who is handy in a fight."

"I would hope so, Primal," Queen answered.

Optimus only sighed at that remark. He silently wondered how Queen could not notice the effectiveness of others in such situations. Dinobot was a great warrior, but he wasn't the only one who had those skills, and some of the others would have other skills better suited to the operation at hand.

"So, who do you suggest should go with us?" Queen wondered.

"You and I would go to lead the mission," Optimus sighed.

"Obviously," Queen snorted.

"Rattrap, Blackarachnia, Tigerhawk, and Wired will come along as well," Optimus answered.

"What about your scientist?" Queen asked gesturing to where Rhinox was working to heal the other resistance members that they had found from the transformation lock virus that the Tripredicus Council had inflicted on Cybertron during their rise to power.

"Rhinox will be needed here," Optimus sighed, "the resistance members from outside of the Capital City will need repair, and Rhinox is the best suited to do that and keep an eye on things here."

"But the sparks!" Queen answered, "there are Predicon sparks there, just as there are Maximal ones!"

"Yes," Optimus nodded, "and once the fight for the station is over and the resistance members here have been repaired... then we can focus on bringing the sparks back to Cyberton or building new bodies for them. We have to take things one step at a time."

"You and your steps," Queen grumbled, "and you're certain this small team can defeat any drones they may have on Omega One?"

"The drones have never really given us that much trouble," Optimus sighed, "and from what you've told us... there aren't likely to be too many sparked transformers on Omega One. So we should be in good position. Our biggest concern will be getting past the weapon's satellites, which Dinobot's team will distract."

Queen didn't answer right away.

"And it isn't like we have much choice in the matter," Optimus reminded her, "If Unicron comes back online... things will be worse then any problem you can see now."

"I know," Queen answered, "I suppose it is because I've been fighting with such meager forces for so long... I'm not used to being in a position where I can be confident."

Optimus nodded, "We'd best call everyone together."

**Omega One**

Druyd paced a central nerve center with the massive moon sized station that orbited the planet of Cybertron. It was intended to become the home of Unicron's reborn spark and would allow him to conquer the galaxy as he was supposed to do during the Great War. However, not everything went according to plan. The Oracle refused to give him Unicron's spark, no matter how may sparks Druyd feed into the hopper...

It merely fed him some garbage about all sparks being important. That the loss of one made the price greater. And that is was enraged Druyd the most. Capturing transformers was time consuming and costly, and many times by the time the drones had been able to defeat an enemy transformer, they'd actually had to kill the transformer, which ruined the deal. And that plague on Druyd's hopes continued.

"They do not know how important Unicron is," Druyd grumbled as he checked a couple of readouts, "Unicron is the real glory of Cybertron... He must return!"

And the readout he looked at didn't paint an optimistic picture for that. Of several units of drones sent to capture various resistance members from Cybertron's surface, only one shuttle returned with three sparked transformers on it. Their sparks were removed and added to the Spark Containment Unit that housed the others, but they weren't enough to sway the Oracle, and to top it off, the other drones were attacked by Optimus Primal's followers.

And Druyd cursed Optimus Primal the most. Ever since the Maximal explorer had returned to Cybertron from the Beast Wars, the Tripredicus Council's plans had begun to fall apart. And no the Tripredicus Council was gone. Druyd was alone in the mission to bring back Unicron and he couldn't fail. Not after they had waited so long for this. Primal would surely come, and Druyd knew it.

"DRONE!" Druyd roared and waited for a small diagnostic drone to hover toward him.

"You called, sir?" the drone acknowledged him.

"What is the status of the defense of Omega One?" Druyd asked the drone, "Primal will surely come here soon for the sparks."

"All preparations that can be made have been made," the drone answered, "the last combat drones you have available are on duty on Omega One and armed defense lasers are ready to deal with any intruder. The main weapons satellites are on line and are under your control from the main terminal to your left, as you commanded."

"Are there any reinforcements on the way?" Druyd wondered.

"None that would be able to come without withdrawing drone troops from other sectors," the drone answered.

Druyd gave a frustrated growl to himself. The forces of the Tripredicus Council had always had trouble with the veterans of the Beast Wars. The Generals had wanted to study them to find out what made them so tough and powerful, but the battles had been so one sided against the Tripredicus Council that all they had were guesses. And those guesses wouldn't help Druyd all that well.

His best hope was to get reinforcements from other sectors that Tripredicus followers or drones were attempting take over. But, the orders to capture those worlds and the need to get the sparks to bring back Unicron meant that if the world hadn't fallen yet, the troops there could not be called back. That meant that Druyd would have to hold out until those worlds could fall. That meant relying on weapons that had proven ineffective against the Beast Warriors, unless they were scaled up.

"Drone, begin hooking up the mounted guns within Omega One to the central power supply," Druyd commanded.

"The central power supply?" the drone gasped, "but that is to fuel Unicron's spark!"

"We'll never get the chance to do it if we do not increase the power to the lasers," Druyd answered, "Optimus Primal and his warriors are exceptionally powerful... far beyond all the data we have on known living Maximals. I would dare say they approach the level of some of the Autobots from the Great War, but until one can be studied I won't make that comparison. Hook the laser cannons up to the central power supply."

"At once," the drone answered in a submissive tone.

Druyd, meanwhile only sighed. He was doing everything possible to meet the demands the Oracle had made to get Unicron's spark back. Because Unicron HAD to come back as far as Druyd was concerned. He only prayed that he was doing enough.

**Underground Base**

As the others gathered around one section of the cave that they had found under Cybertron's surface, Optimus Primal and Queen slowly prepared for the briefing that would be given for what Optimus hoped would be the last major campaign against the forces that had backed the Tripredicus Council.

"The floor is all yours," Queen said to Optimus.

Optimus glanced to her and then nodded. After clearing his throat, he began the briefing.

"What coming is hopefully the last in a long list of battles for both veterans of the Beast Wars and for those who have fought the Tripredicus Council," Optimus began, using it as an impromptu motivational speech, "we must either take or destroy the Tripredicus Drone, Omega One."

Optimus then turned and activated a series of holographic projections that gave multiple images. The first was the Predicon warship that had been liberated from the factory yards.

"The operation will require two main teams," Optimus spoke, "one to take the ship we've captured and attack the weapons satellites that ring the planet."

Optimus then turned to observe Dinobot's reaction to all of this. The transmetal two raptor stood quietly observing all of the images that the projector was projecting.

"Dinobot, you have the most experience with craft of this type, I'm placing you in charge of the mission," Optimus spoke, "How many will you need for a crew?"

"At a bare minimum these craft only need a crew of three," Dinobot answered, "a navigator, a weapons specialist and gunner, and a commander for tactical and strategic decisions. Though given the fact that your targeting the weapons platforms, an engineering officer will be needed to perform on site repairs as such a battle rages. The ships do have room for more, but they are typically ground troops or security... depending on the mission."

"Can you do the job?" Queen questioned him.

"Of course I can," Dinobot snarled back.

"Very well then," Queen answered, "Terrorsaur will go with you as your pilot. Depthcharge can be your weapons officer. That should be all you need."

"Me under HIS command?" Depthcharge questioned to Optimus, still not trusting the male raptor.

"It'd be either you or Rapther," Optimus told the transmetal manta ray.

Depthcharge grumbled, but accepted the assignment, "Fine, I'll go. If only to make sure he doesn't betray anyone."

Dinobot glared at him. To the raptor's surprise, Cheetor came forward.

"I'll go along," Cheetor volunteered, "just in case something breaks."

"Only three transformers are needed!" Queen insisted in a tone that almost like she intended for the ship to be blown to bits.

Dinobot listened and guessed that Queen probably did want that. He had thought her to be just as manipulative as Megatron, if not as blatantly evil and tyrannous as the transmetal two dragon who was among their prisoners in a different section of the caves. If he were destroyed, everything the Maximals would know about Queen would be second hand. And that was something Queen would be able to manipulate to her advantage.

"Dinobot even said that the mission would require an engineer," Cheetor answered, "I volunteer to go. If something breaks, who else is fast enough make some attempt at repairing the damage?"

"I'm fast enough," Terrorsaur protested.

"Queen has also already picked you to pilot the ship.

"Cheetor is right," Optimus answered, "an engineer will be needed."

Queen only sighed and let Optimus resume the briefing.

"Queen and I will then lead a small team in of the Tripredicus Shuttles into Omega One," Optimus continued, "Outside of a few drones and the lone sparked transformer, resistance should be light."

"Should being the operative word," Rattrap muttered.

"You are one of the volunteers," Queen told the transmetal rat after hearing Rattrap's gripe.

"What?" Rattrap gasped and was about to complain when Optimus spoke up.

"Blackarachnia, Tigerhawk, and Wired will also ride along with Queen, Rattrap, and I," Optimus answered, "Our job will be to deal with the transformer or drones that are running Omega One and free the sparks. Which will mean navigating traps more then actual fighting... and last I checked, Rattrap, you are the best at handling traps."

Rattrap only gave a defeated sigh.

"And what about us?" Virox demanded.

"The rest of you will either guard the base and our prisoners," Optimus answered, "or patrol the tunnels in the area. I want to make sure there are no more tunneler drones to risk bringing the capital city down on us... and those of you that we just found will stay with Rhinox as he works to assign you all Beast Modes."

Virox grumbled something, but know one could make it out.

"Is everything clear?" Queen asked.

The answer that came back was affirmative.

**Omega One**

Druyd was continuing his work, desperately trying to ready defenses when an alarm suddenly went off. Rushing to a sensor station, Druyd was quickly able to determine what was coming. It was a lone warship of the same class that Megatron's ship, the Darkside, had belonged to.

"And so they come," Druyd began and was about to activate the weapons satellites when a communiqué came in. Pressing a button to answer it, Druyd gave a growl, "what is it?"

"This is Dinobot of the Maximal warship... Liberator," came a growling voice on the other end of the line, "We demand your surrender, immediately!"

There was a brief silence.

"If you do not surrender, we will be forced to destroy you!" Dinobot's voice continued.

**The Liberator**

"Do you honestly think he'll surrender?" Terrorsaur asked and he piloted the ship toward one the of the weapons satellites.

"No," Dinobot answered, "but we're to distract whoever is running the satellites from attacking the shuttle that Optimus will be piloting. We will have their attention... and even if he believes this ship has the power to destroy a moon... he should notice that our course is not aimed at that moon."

"We're almost in weapon's range," Depthcharge reported.

"We'll wait until whoever is running the station to actually respond," Dinobot answered, "If he surrenders, the fight is over, and we don't have to do anything more... I don't expect that though. If its a drone, it won't have common sense to surrender, and if its a transformer, he/she has to be fanatically devoted to the Tripredicus's Council's ideals."

"So you've wasted time issuing an ultimatum to one, you know will not surrender?" Depthcharge questioned.

"In the name of honor," Dinobot growled simply, "be ready to fire on the closest satellite."

Cheetor looked on out the main bridge windows to see the large imposing weapons satellite in front of them. At present, it was aimed out toward the space beyond Cybertron, but that could easily change. And it did change. In one swift motion, all of the satellites turned on the warship. The answer that Druyd gave Dinobot's ultimatum was a clear refusal to surrender.

"FIRE!" Dinobot screeched.

Depthcharge activated the ships weapons, and with all of them aimed at the closest satellite, the attack was successful in destroying it. Cheetor, meanwhile readied himself as the other satellites fired on the ship. For the moment, the shields were holding, but that could change.

**The Shuttle**

Optimus stood nervously watching as Blackarachnia pilot the shuttle into space. As they rose out of Cybertron's atmosphere, they caught sight of the space battle between the Liberator and the weapons satellites that were defending the station Omega One.

"Here goes nothing," Blackarachnia commented, "we'll show up on target screens now."

"Hopefully, Chopperface has them plenty distracted," Rattrap commented, "and they'll be too busy to shoot at us."

Optimus and Queen slowly observed as Blackarachnia continued to take them out of the atmosphere and into space. While Optimus occasionally looked to see the flashes of laser fire between the weapons satellites and the Liberator, he did occasionally look to what Queen had long identified as Omega One.

For the moment it was a large black sphere that seemed to sit in the shadow of what was the normal moon that orbited Cybertron. Optimus doubted very much that they could have even seen it when they first returned to Cybertron from the Beast Wars. The fact that it was so darkly colored combined with the fact that they had no reason to suspect the Tripredicus Council's treachery meant that it would have remained hidden from them as they came in and shortly after crashed onto Cybertron's surface.

"It's the dark shape that's hovered over the resistance ever since we figured out that this was the Tripredicus Council's real plan," Queen said to Optimus, "It's why I've urged you to move quickly... I only pray we're in time."

Optimus gave her a glance, but said nothing.

"It looks like they're distracted," Blackarachnia commented as she glanced to the battle going on.

The Liberator had destroyed a few of the weapons satellites, and was drawing the fire of the ones that hadn't been destroyed. No one was targeting the shuttle as it rose toward the massive moon sized drone.

"Move to one of the lower hangers," Queen instructed, "The main elevators and passage ways to wherever they're storing the sparks has to be near the central axis of the drone."

"And what about the main controls for the other drones and the satellites?" Rattrap questioned.

"That should also be along that central axis," Queen answered, "Though the exact location is unknown... it could be at the very top of the drone near the top pole, or it could be in the very center. We weren't able to get a detailed plans and they were likely trashed when the Tripredicus Council tried to flee their main base."

"So, we're going in with no knowledge about where we're supposed to go?" Rattrap surmised.

"Essentially, but we have no choice," Queen replied.

Blackarachnia meanwhile kept the shuttle going. They didn't have much choice, Queen was right about that, but Blackarachnia also knew that Rattrap was a chronic grumbler. He would complain about anything they had to deal with, regardless of what it was.

**Omega One**

"Sir!" the diagnostic drone burst into the room where Druyd was trying to direct the weapons satellites to fire on the Liberator.

"What is it?" Druyd growled, "the Resistance has begun its attack! They intend to weaken our position here around Cybertron! Call any and all other units to come and fight!"

"What I have to report is far more serious then that, sir," the diagnostic drone reported, "one shuttle has landed in the south pole hanger. And a small team of resistance fighters have departed from it."

Druyd's optics widened in shock.

"Is everything prepared inside?" he demanded.

"Yes, sir," the drone answered, "all traps are prepared and the small complement of combat drones are ready. But I felt I should inform you, just in case. The ship you are engaging does not appear to be in any hurry to assault Omega One."

Druyd only looked on, and then turned to the open area where his control center was. It was beneath the large area that was to eventually hold Unicron's spark, but it was still empty as he waited for the proper number sparks to be brought to the spark containment unit to make the exchange with the Matrix for Unicron's spark. The aforementioned spark containment unit was just below the control center, and now a resistance team had landed on the Omega One drone.

"This Dinobot was a distraction," Druyd spoke nervously, and then turned to the diagnostic drone, "destroy the invaders! As quickly as you can! If you can, use spark extractors. Do whatever you can to insure that Unicron is revived!"

"Of course, sir," the diagnostic drone answered.

**Underground Base**

Rhinox quietly pulled a lever that allowed the first of the newly arrived resistance fighters to emerge from the CR Tank in their new beast modes. The first was Sly, and as he emerged, a fairly obvious form was revealed. His beast mode was that of a Red Fox, and in its typical phase with a reddish body with black ears, paws, a white underbelly and a white tail tip.

"Sly, MAXIMIZE!" Sly spoke out and transformed. He seemed extremely relieved to be able to transform, "You did it! I'm able to transform! And not too shabby either."

Rhinox gave a polite nod, and motioned for the next transformer to go in. The next to go was Sly's partner Bandit. Bandit went by the Rhinoceros transformer and handed him the chip that held the animal DNA that was to be used in forming his Beast Mode. Rhinox inserted into the drive for the CR Tank controls that would free Bandit from the effects of the transformation lock virus that had plagued Cybertron since the Tripredicus Council came to power.

"I still don't understand why he gets to go before me?" Virox questioned.

"We're going by how you came in," Rhinox answered, "you wanted to go first, you should have been first in line."

Virox was quite for the moment and allowed Rhinox to return to his work. After a few moments that CR Tank finished its work, and Bandit emerged. His beast mode resembling a North American mammal known for the eye markings around its face.

"Bandit, MAXIMIZE!" Bandit spoke and transformed into his robot mode from his Raccoon beast mode. "And now I'm ready for some real sneaking. No Tripredicus Drone will ever catch me easily now!"

Rhinox shook his head with a chuckle, "I'm afraid, son, the Tripredicus Council and their cause are done. Optimus's group is dealing with their last major supporter right now. Our task going forward will probably be to create a whole new Cybertron."

**Omega One, Hanger Bay**

The first one out of the shuttle was Rattrap. He found the hanger to be large and already filled with several other shuttles. He couldn't tell how many of them had been used and how long ago they had been used, but he assumed they were the means by which the Tridpredicus Faction went to and from Omega One while they were constructing it.

"Okay... bug lady, you're the one that supposedly knows this place best," Rattrap called back to Queen who was following Optimus out of the shuttle, "Where do we want to go?"

"Is he always like that?" Queen asked to the Maximal leader.

"Some days are worse then others," Optimus answered, "but he does have a point."

"We never got Omega One's schematics," Queen answered, "My best guess is that everything will be along Omega One's central axis, as it will be better protected from external assault and from when Unicron was supposed take over the drone and transform to his robot mode. The sparks are probably close to the core, but the main computer nerve center could be anywhere on Omega One along that central axis for either protection or observation."

"So where would the elevator door be?" Rattrap asked, "If we're already in the center of the station, one of the doors along the edge has to lead to an elevator."

"We're not at the center, you dunce," Blackarachnia groaned, "this doesn't cover nearly enough ground to cover the entire bottom portion of the station... even at where we are. I'd be the elevator is in that direction."

Rattrap only grumbled and made his way toward the door that that the transmetal two spider was pointing towards. Optimus and Queen followed the two of them with Tigerhawk bringing up the rear.

"It's rather quiet," Tigerhawk commented, "almost too quiet."

"They may not have a transformer running operations here," Optimus said optimistically, "which will mean all we have facing us are drones, and with the Tripredicus Council and their influence gone from Cybertron... and any other sparked transformers they have too far away harassing colony worlds, the drones won't be able to do much."

By that time, Rattrap and Blackarachnia had reached the door and opened it. As they did so, a series of laser shots fired and knocked both of them backward. Optimus, Queen, and Tigerhawk were quick to rush to the door, but staying out of the doorway.

"I am not that optimistic," Tigerhawk commented.

"You and me both," Rattrap grumbled as he and Blackarachnia crawled to the other edge of the door.

"What is it?" Queen demanded.

"Just a few minor anti-personal cannons," Rattrap answered, "normally standard security measure against a tresspassin' bot... though normally they only fire a low grade electro-magnetic pulse. Paralyzes a bot for a little while... provided they aren't prepared for it or protected... though I'd bet these ones are armed more for military use."

"They're fairly well up gunned though," Blackarachnia added, "even the military versions of these things are somewhat limited in terms of power. Both your faction and Megatron's in the Beast Wars learned that..."

"Yeah... our deck guns," Optimus nodded, "they tended to have some trouble against transmetals... but their mission was to pin the opponent down in the hopes that we could outflank them."

"These guns are stronger then that," Blackarachnia answered, "and since they're holding a narrow hallway, we can't outflank them here."

"So blast the guns!" Queen commanded.

"Oh, sure do it easy," Rattrap and aimed his gun out and around and caught one of the placed laser cannons.

Tigerhawk silently resumed his beast mode, and fired his gatling guns up the hallway. This took out another series of laser cannons.

"They're clear on your side, Rattrap!" Tigerhawk called to the transmetal rat.

Rattrap leaned out again and fired another series of shots, taking out two more laser cannons. That left one last laser cannon that zeroed in on him and forced to duck back behind the wall next to the open door. That, however, gave Blackarachnia the ability to move out to attack the last gun. Keeping her optics on it, Blackarachnia dodged and would use the walls of the hallway to get above the laser cannon. By the time it began to turn to follow her moments, she'd blasted it with her own weapon.

"Hallway is clear!" Blackarachnia called back and waited for the rest to catch up with her.

Queen and Optimus were quick to make their way down the hallway while Rattrap and Tigerhawk covered their rear. Queen then approached a series of doors that went around a circular portion of the wall.

"These should get us to the central area of Omega One," Queen spoke, "that is where the sparks will be."

"Then let's get going," Optimus spoke and pressed a button that would open the door to the elevators.

The doors opened to reveal one tank drone, in a more robotic-like mode was in it and blasted Optimus directly in the chest. The transmetal two gorilla staggered back a few feet, mostly out of surprise then from pain. The drone advanced out of the elevator only to gut down by blasts from Queen and Rattrap.

"There is a sparked transformer here," Queen commented as she looked at the destroyed drone's wreckage, "this is all to convenient to be a coincidence."

"Are you okay, Optimus?" Tigerhawk asked.

Optimus nodded, "It was only a drone. It was more surprising then dangerous."

"Didn't even scratch his paint job," Rattrap joked, "but... uh... why was it alone?"

"You're complaining about not facing a massed attack?" Blackarachnia wondered.

"Well they've normally attacked us in mass numbers," Rattrap shot back.

"It could be possible that they're running out of drones," Optimus told him, "we did destroy their factories, and they had to bring in starships to gain additional drones for the battle with the Tripredicus Council."

"Or its a trap," Queen commented, "but Optimus is right... they have no factories for drones anymore... shoot... all the parts for Omega One were built ON Cybertron and transported here for assembly."

"So if it is a trap, it's a weak one that poses no threat to your cowardly circuitry," Blackarachnia said to Rattrap.

"Hey! I'm no coward!" Rattrap answered, "I just don't believe in charging into a suicide mission. That is Chopperface's department."

Optimus only sighed and entered the elevator. The others were quick to crowd in as well. It was a tight squeeze, but they did fit.

"Press the 'command level' button," Queen instructed, "that'll probably take us to wherever the station's command center is."

"Ya think?" Rattrap shot back, "a button like that? I woulda thought it would take us to da basement!"

Queen grumbled as Rattrap pressed the button. The elevator soon began to rise upward, taking them upward. Away from the bottom level and the hanger they had come from. However, as they did so, they were all quick to find out that things would not be easy. After going up a few floors, several long tentacles descended from the ceiling of the elevator came down and rushed for each transformers in the elevator.

"Spark extractors!" Queen identified the devices at the end of the tentacles.

As they began to wrestle with the "weapons" descending on them like snakes, a voice spoke to them over an intercom.

"Do you honestly thin I would stand back and let you break what is Cybertron's destiny?" the voice asked, it was Druyd's voice.

Tigerhawk and Optimus managed to catch the two tentacles that came at them.

"Unicron MUST return," Druyd continued, "and you will be defeated."

Blackarachia dodged the attacks at her and soon used the raised talons above her knuckles to slice through the tentacles that came after her. Queen returned to her beast mode and gripped one in her beat mode's mandibles and gripped the other that that came at her in her beast mode's legs. She waited until Rattrap blasted both of them.

"You'll have to use a far smarter weapon then that!" Rattrap challenged.

Druyd didn't answer while the elevator continued to go up. The fact that his automated spark extractors couldn't catch a single spark probably silenced him. After about five minutes, the elevator finally came to a stop and the doors opened.

When the doors opened they were met by another four drones of various shapes firing another barrage of shots. The shots knocked Rattrap and Queen back, but did little real damage. Tigerhawk blasted all of them away with one missile from the launcher held under his wings. The destroyed drones landed all around a circular hallway that surrounded the elevator as they moved out of it.

"And this bot thinks we're going to lose?" Blackarachnia wondered as she advanced into the hallway.

"Maybe it's only a drone, programmed to give such response," Optimus spoke, "it would then explain why the strongest weapons we've faced have been laser cannons."

Just as Optimus said that, automated laser cannons activated from around the corner that they turned and fired on the parade of Maximals and the Resistance leader. The first couple of shots hit Blackarachnia, whit the next few hi Optimus. Rattrap blasted one while Tigerhawk readied a pair of feather missiles. Queen took cover behind one wall while the laser cannons then blasted away at Optimus and Blackarachnia. Rattrap blasted away another when Blackarachnia managed to get up and blew away the remaining laser cannons with her leg mounted machine guns.

"Good shot," Queen said Blackarachnia.

"It's more the quantity of fire for me rather then quality," Blackarachnia answered, "let's get going."

They kept going until they came into a truly massive central chamber. It resembled a large cylinder and seemed to rise up at least three or four stories. On the level they were on was a large cylinder that was about have the height of the room they had entered. To Optimus's great hope, this chamber housed the sparks that they had come to save. They hadn't been exchanged for Unicron's spark, yet.

"The sparks," Optimus said slowly.

"Yeah the sparks," Rattrap grumbled, "Let's take care of the big cheese here before deciding to do anything with them."

Just then a series of blasts came flying down at them. Fortunately none of the shots hit the spark containment unit, but they did do enough to make them spread out.

"The shots came from up there!" Blackarachnia pointed to a ledge just above the spark containment unit.

Optimus and Queen looked up to see a rather scrawny looking transformer holding a blaster, using the equipment up there as cover.

"Rattrap, guard the sparks," Optimus commanded, "Queen, take Blackarachnia and see if you can find a way up there that moves around and behind him. Tigerhawk and I will try to distract him."

"Don't damage the sparks in doing so," Queen commanded back, "come along, arachnid!"

Queen then rushed off. Optimus was surprised to see Blackarachnia glance back to him before following. Optimus then took his vehicle mode and flew into the open space with Tigerhawk flying closely behind. They only buzzed the transformer, as Optimus didn't want to risk hitting anything that would damage the circuitry that protected the sparks.

"Give it up!" Optimus challenged the transformer, "the jig is up! You're outnumbered and you can't hoard the sparks anymore!"

"They are destined to revitalize Unicron!" Druyd answered, "it was written by Unicron before he was destroyed!"

Druyd then fired a series of shots at Optimus and Tigerhawk. Thankfully when he missed the two Maximal transformers he also missed the spark containment unit, but the fact that he fired showed that he had little concern for the sparks themselves. One errant shot could doom all of them.

"We have to get that gun away from him," Tigerhawk said to Optimus.

"Can you get him with your Gatling guns?" Optimus asked back, "they're less destructive then anything I have."

Tigerhawk nodded and went from his robot mode to his beast mode.

"I can try," Tigerhawk nodded.

He then dove down toward Druyd as he stood in the middle of a command platform. Druyd fired on him, but Tigerhawk knew he couldn't let him hold onto the blaster he had. As he closed the distance, Tigerhawk opened up with his Gatling guns. The attack destroyed Druyd's blaster and sent him flying backward while Tigerhawk banked away.

"It's over," Optimus spoke as he landed and returned to robot mode.

"Not hardly!" Druyd responded and looked up, his optics taking on an other-worldly glow.

Druyd then raised one hand and a flash of lightning reached out from one hand. It hit Optimus squarely in his chest, and made the Maximal commander scream with pain. While transmetal armor seemed to stand up extremely well to the weaponry of the drones and even the Tripredicus Council's sparked transformers, it didn't seem to do well against this.

"I am connected to the Oracle and the Matrix!" Druyd exclaimed, "and you are nothing more then a pathetic monkey come to ruin what has been preordained!"

His attack was cut short when a strand of webbing caught his hand. He then looked to see that Blackarachnia and Queen had arrived at the main door to his command level.

"Technically, he's a gorilla," Blarkarachnia answered and pulled Druyd toward her while shifting to her beast mode.

Before Druyd could do anything, transmetal two spider fangs had punctured his armor and he was dropping into stasis lock. While Blackarachnia made sure that Druyd would be a prisoner, Queen went to Optimus.

"You okay?" she asked him.

"I've been better," Optimus answered.

"Well... don't worry," Queen replied, "the Tripredicus Council's war is over."

**To Be Continued...**


	3. Chapter 3

Beast Wars and all characters and things related are copyright and trademark of Hasbro and Mainframe Entertainment. This work, however, is the original work of the author.

Note: This story takes place immediately after "Saving Cybertron".

A Whole New World, Chapter 3

By TVfan

**The Liberator**

Dinobot looked out of the bridge's main windows into the area around the Liberator. Part of him was heavily amused by the naming and the fact that the ship's design and build was Predicon in nature. The ship was of a Predicon design, yet it used a Maximal name. Such a thing would probably really grind the gears of Predicons who were all caught up in the politics of the Maximal and Predicon factions. To a great extent, Dinobot had little care for either. He allied himself with Optimus Primal because he saw Primal as an honorable leader, and worthy of having Dinobot as his 'sword' to wield against his enemies. For Dinobot, honor was more important then faction or the political excuses one side gave.

Though, at present, that wasn't the issue to be decided. The issue was making sure the Tripredicus Council's idea of recreating Unicron would never happen. Dinobot and his group were to take the Liberator and destroy the military satellites that orbited Cybertron. And while that battle raged, Optimus Primal and Queen would lead a small team to raid the uncompleted drone that was intended to become Unicron, and take out whoever was running the drone.

"What is the status on their satellites?" Dinobot wondered aloud.

"Sensors show that we got most of them," Cheetor answered, "at least most of them in this particular area, BUT they're redistributing with the other satellites that we didn't hit."

"Making sure they can fire at any attacker that might come from outside Cybertron with sufficient force," Dinobot grumbled, "have you heard anything from Optimus, yet?"

"No," Cheetor sighed, "my guess is that Big Bot is still busy with whatever is in that drone..."

Dinobot glanced upward in the general direction of where Omega One was in the area. He couldn't see it from inside the ship and based on where the ship was and where the massive drone was, but based on the sensor information and the mission to cover Optimus's move to board Omega One, Dinobot knew where the drone was. Hopefully there were no major problems.

**Omega One**

Meanwhile on the station a different situation was playing out. Druyd had been defeated and was placed in restraints that even his various 'links' to the Matrix and the Oracle could not overcome. That left Optimus Primal and Queen in command of the weapon the Tripredicus Council had intended to use as their ultimate weapon. A reconstituted Unicron.

"So, Omega One is ours now," Queen stated.

"Yes," Optimus nodded, "the key though is stopping the Tripredicus Council's attacks elsewhere... disarming their satellites."

"How...?" Queen wondered.

She was good at figuring out what to do to attack the Tripredicus Council. To her, that seemed to be enough to get her into a position of power, and for the most part, the Resistance had accepted that. Even those that were Maximals. Optimus, however, had come up with a question that needed to be answered that Queen hadn't given time to consider.

"The other thing would be what to do with the sparks," Blackarachnia commented from where she was securing Druyd, "that containment unit is too big to transfer to even the Liberator. We'll need to actually LAND this thing on Cybertron's surface."

"Couldn't we bring bodies here?" Queen wondered.

"If you wish to do half a trillion shuttle trips," Blackarachnia shrugged, "go ahead."

Optimus, meanwhile was quiet. He knew these were all questions that needed to be answered, but that didn't mean he had the answer. Though, fortunately, that was when an answer was given.

"Then I guess what remains to be done is to hack into their computer," came Rattrap's voice as he walked up to the command level.

He had left his position where he was supposed to be guarding the sparks, but with Druyd defeated, that wasn't an issue.

"What makes you think the computers here would control all those things? The drones? The satellites?" Queen wondered.

"The Tripredicus Council wanted to recreate Unicron for some political reason," Rattrap answered, "and he was the ultimate bad guy. The only guy that got the Ancient Autobots and Decipticons not to fight each other. And this guy took it to an almost religious devotion..."

"What are you saying, Rattrap?" Optimus wondered.

"If these guys support Unicron THAT much, wouldn't it make sense to make sure that all the controls to their arsenal lay WITH 'Unicron'?" Rattrap questioned.

"And in a spot where the Resistance could never get at it..." Queen said slowly.

"Can you get in?" Optimus asked.

Rattrap smirked and slowly approached the main computer panels that Druyd had earlier been using. He sat at the placed chair that was there and then stretched out his arms.

"Of course," Rattrap smirked, "it may take a little bit, but I can get in."

Meanwhile, Tigerhawk stood quietly by. With Druyd defeated, all drones on the station destroyed, and the sparks safe for eventual return to Cybertron, the transmetal two fuzor was left without much to do. He wasn't super great with computers and couldn't help Rattrap with the codes, and at the same time, the very mechanical nature of everything was not entirely to his liking. In this, Tigerhawk and Airazor were probably very different from the other Maximals and the Resistance members.

Dinobot, despite his political differences from the other Maximals could easily gain some redemption. Tigerhawk was certain that Optimus would send him off to defend some Cybertronian colony, or maybe organize a defense force that would defend Cybertron itself. Tigerhawk couldn't really do that. He had enjoyed Earth's natural beauty. Grass and plants grew, animals lived, the sun rose and set, as did the tides. There were mountains, streams, oceans, and other things that were not crafted by machines, people, or Cybertonians. Those were the things that Tigerhawk had come to enjoy.

But Omega One held none of that, and from what he'd seen, Cybertron didn't either. So while Rattrap began his work on the station's computers, Tigerhawk began to do a little exploring. If only to see what was there and figure out if there was anything worth finding out. He found the passages to be long and winding. There were rooms, but they were of odd shapes, which was probably to be expected. Omega One was to become Unicron according to the Tripredicus Council's plans. Therefore, things on the station couldn't be laid out the way they would on a ship or in a building as the station would have to transform between 'moon' and robot modes.

His wanderings were quiet for the most part until he came to another large room. It was dominated by a large screen-like projector. The screen itself looked rather liquid-like. But that wasn't the only thing that astonished Tigerhawk. On the screen there seemed to be all kinds of sparks flying every which direction.

"What is this?" Tigerhawk gasped aloud and sounding completely puzzled.

"We are the Oracle... guiding light of Cybertron and from which your spark was created and through which it will be guided to the Matrix when it is time for your spark to expire," came a mechanical, slightly feminine sounding, and disembodied voice that startled Tigerhawk completely.

"Who... how...?" Tigerhawk stammered.

"We answered," the Oracle answered, "and you hear us for you are different from other transformers."

"But they say those that have been able to hear the Oracle... or the Matrix are of much lighter build then I," Tigerhawk commented, sounding slightly skeptical, "like Druyd... he doesn't look like he could take on the Tripredicus Council's drones when you look at him..."

"We do not take strength from transformers," the Oracle answered, "Druyd may not have looked the part... but he is powerful in his own way..."

"Because he could communicate with you," Tigerhawk spoke.

"As can you, Tigerhawk," the Oracle replied.

"Why me?" Tigerhawk asked, "Optimus..."

"Optimus Primal is a good leader and is a great hero for Cybertron and the Maximal faction," the Oracle responded, "but he does not carry the philosophical and spiritual ponderings that you do... and it is for those things that sit firmly at the heart of your peaceful spark that we are able to speak to you and you are able to hear us."

Tigerhawk was about to answer when the Oracle gave a great flash of light in front of him. In an instant he saw many things. His awakening as Tigatron, and befriending the tiger, Snowstalker. He saw his desire to preserve the alien floating island as a world of peace in the midst of the Beast Wars. He saw the firefight against the Predicons that got Snowstalker killed and his grief for the tiger that had died. How he was ready to give up the war altogether, despite the puzzlement that Cheetor, Dinobot, and even Optimus had had at that decision. It finished with him as Tigerhawk talking with Airazor over how and why things had happened. And whether or not the Beast Wars were a fated event.

"The Beast Wars were fated to happen," Tigerhawk breathed.

"In some ways, yes and no," the Oracle replied, "the Beast War need not have occurred to accomplish what has been missing on Cybertron... but it ended up being the path to which you followed to the mission that now lies ahead."

"A new mission?" Tigerhawk wondered.

"Yes."

"But what of the Tripredicus Council? Druyd? Their deal to bring back Unicron?" Tigerhawk wondered.

"Their deal was spawned from their religious love for their 'father'," the Oracle answered, "a transformer of great power and might. To allow a spark of such power out of the Matrix where it pays for the sins it committed, would require a number of live sparks of equal power... which grows larger with every transformer killed by the Tripredicus Council's war... and ultimately makes their own victory untenable."

"You do not agree with their plans?" Tigerhawk asked curiously.

"Of course we do not," the Oracle answered, sounding annoyed, "their mystic, Druyd through his link was able to accomplish the deal his masters wanted. We had no control over what the deal was. Just as we have no control over whether or not you will actively carry out the mission assigned to you."

"And what mission do you have for me?" Tigerhawk answered.

"You already carry that with you," the Oracle replied.

Again Tigerhawk was immersed in a flash of light. This time he saw Megatron in his Tyrannosaurus form emerge from the CR tanks after the Darkside crashed onto Earth, as well as Dinobot's emergence in the form of a Velociraptor. He saw Optimus, Rhinox, Rattrap, and Cheetor emerge in their beast modes. He saw Blackarachnia in her transmetal two form. He saw Silverbolt emerging from his stasis pod. He saw Optimus collecting a plant with Dinobot as his assistant. He saw himself as Tigatron helping the other Maximals deal with the animal instincts of their beast modes, to bring beast and robot modes together.

He then saw contrasting images of Cybertron. At first he saw an almost organic world, until he saw a small human-like life form find a cybernetic looking key, which when that being touched it set of a chain reaction that didn't stop until the modern Cybertronian race of machines developed and Cybertron became a robotic world. The very thing that Tigerhawk didn't like.

"I will try," Tigerhawk promised weakly.

"That is all we ask of you," the Oracle answered.

**Cybertron, Underground Base**

Rhinox continued much of the work that was needed to keep things going. For the most part it was insuring that the transformers that they had found would have the ability to transform between alternate and robot modes. And that largely meant giving them the alternate modes of animals. To a certain extent, Rhinox didn't feel that organic life was something that should be part of Cybertron, but he also knew that the Trans-Lock 9000 virus in the atmosphere would affect anyone that didn't have a beast mode and do them harm.

And that virus couldn't be removed. Rhinox didn't have the scanners to check and see what percentage of Cybertron's atmosphere was the Trans-Lock 9000 virus, but he knew it was still there. The weapon had been devised toward the end of the Great War and employed on various fronts of that war, by both sides. Maximal scientists after the war eventually found that in areas where it had been used, it remained in effect in large numbers for centuries, and that they were still traces of it present on those worlds today. Filtration or attempts to collect the virus had all failed. Treatment for it revolved around CR Chamber/Tank treatment or the direction introduction of a counter-virus designed specifically for each specific strand of the Trans-Lock 9000 virus.

And all Rhinox knew was that it had been used on Cybertron as part of the Tripredicus Council's efforts to conquer the planet. No one had found anything on what specific strands of the virus were used and no stash of the anti-virus for what had been released on Cybertron had been found. So, Rhinox was left installing beast modes onto the various Resistance members that had been liberated in the earlier battles.

"Okay, Virox, it's your turn," Rhinox said to the Predicon that had been rather pushy over receiving the 'cure' for the Trans-Lock 9000 virus.

Virox handed the DNA chip to him and entered the CR tank that was being used in this cycle of repairs. Rhinox then activated the systems for the that would create the new beast mode for Virox. After a few moments a large and heavily muscled snake slithered out of the tank and onto the ground of the cave that was being used as the base for the time being. It was largely a brownish color with dark brown diamonds on various parts of its body, and had very small 'horn-like' growths on its nose. A Gabon Viper, if Rhinox had read the DNA chip accurately.

"Virox Terrorize!" the Predicon announced and transformed to his robot mode, his jaw splitting in half with the lower jaw becoming his chest and the top jaw and head becoming his upper back with the long fangs acting as a clamp to hold the two sides together, "Yes... THIS is power!"

"Okay now, let's move along," Airazor spoke, trying to help Rhinox out, "there are others that are in need of this treatment too."

The next to approach was another transformer that had come in with Virox. This one was Surge.

"I'm sorry if he's given you too much trouble," Surge said politely.

"It's nothing," Rhinox answered.

Dealing with Predicons who did little to hide the fact that they desired power was something he hated having to do, but for the time being, they were allied to stop the Tripredicus Council. Now, with the Council defeated, that could change, but Rhinox knew that that would be Optimus's responsibility. Not his. So, until things were sorted out for the long term, he'd merely grin and bear it.

Surge then headed into the CR tank and Rhinox repeated the 'activation' process again. After a few moments, the CR tank shut down and a long black scaled electric eel flew out in the same way the fish swan through water on Earth.

"Surge, Maximize!" Surge gave the Maximal transformation code.

Surge then moved off and made quiet conversation with some of the other transformers there as Ultra Mantex came forward and handed Rhinox the DNA chip he had selected. Again Rhinox repeated the activation process. When Ultra Mantex emerged, he was in the form of a green predatory insect, a praying mantis.

"Ultra Mantex, Maximize!" Ultra Mantex announced.

His first set of beast mode legs folded closed and hands emerged from the joint as they folded. His middle and rear legs locked together to give him a bipedal stance. His beast mode abdomen folded up while his beast mode head folded down while his robot head popped up.

"Looking good... thank you, Rhinox," Ultra Mantex told the rhinoceros transformer.

"You're welcome," Rhinox answered.

**Omega One, Command Area**

Meanwhile Rattrap was in an area that he enjoyed, breaking codes and so forth. He wasn't the best computer programmer that the Maximals had, but to a certain extent, breaking codes was like dealing with booby traps and solving problems of that nature. Of course, this was different from the puzzle that the flying island had been or Rhinox's new security program had been in the Beast Wars. But solving puzzles was something he did well.

"Do you have it?" Queen asked from behind him, sounding impatient.

"Hey! Easy, this is delicate work!" Rattrap answered her, "ya can't rush these things."

"And work that is very important for saving Cybertron!" Queen countered, "The Tripredicus Council wanted to exchange most of the living sparks for Unicron's! And this station's 'commander' fought hard to keep the station under his control!"

"Forgive me if I misheard you earlier, but didn't you say that the Tripredicus Council's war was done when he was taken out?" Blackarachnia questioned and pointed to Druyd, still in stasis lock, "Or is there some other threat that you haven't told us of?"

"The Tripredicus Faction does retain forces outside of Cybertron," Queen answered, "mostly drones, but still... their numbers are impressive. And with most of our forces recovering from the battle against the Tripredicus Council on Cybertron... we can not afford a major engagement with their fleets and drones. Despite Dinobot's bravery, be it as a Maximal or Predicon, he can not beat all of them."

"Their drones would shut down from a central control signal, right?" Optimus questioned, wondering along the same lines as Blackarachnia.

Dealing with Queen had moments of good cooperation, but plenty moments of difficulty as well. Queen clearly hated Megatron, and had blamed him for the Tripredicus take over, but during that take over when they used Megatron's tactics to their advantage in spreading out the Maximal defenses, she was heavily in favor of those tactics. It was only when the descendents of Unicron began purging themselves of those descended from the Decepticons that she turned on the Tripredicus Council. And even in the recent fights, it was quite clear that she enjoyed the power that came with conquest.

And this left a question in the back of Optimus's head that he couldn't shake. How would Cybertron be governed? For years the planet's official government had been a democratically elected Council overseen by the 'Council of Elders', most of them veterans of the Great War. The Predicons, descendents of the losers of the Great War were offered entrance into the government, provided they followed Maximal democratic principles. The Predicons had refused and lived in a sort of grey area. They were subject to Maximal laws, but were granted their right to self-government in all things with the obvious exception of politics between Cybertron and planets not colonized by Cybertron or not recognized as colonies.

And that was what had fueled Megatron. Or at least that is what Optimus had gathered from talking with Dinobot. That desire to conquer and rule had never left the Predicons after the change their past as Decepticons. They resented not being on top of the hierarchy and were looking for any excuse to restart the wars. Optimus had known things were tense even before Megatron had stolen the Golden Disks, but the talks with Dinobot had given him some insight into the motivations for the Predicons. He had learned that Dinobot looked forward to a good fight and was quite willing to follow Megatron at first when the prospect of some glorious campaign was at hand.

But they weren't all bad. And Optimus supposed on some level, military glory was a big thing for both sides. Predicons may have dreamed of conquering worlds and unknown enemies. But many Maximals dreamed of saving entire galaxies, relieving the glory of Optimus Prime. Depthcharge, Rattrap, Cheetor, and even himself had filled that role. And Dinobot had also turned on Megatron as well. First because he thought Megatron would lose, and then because he saw that Megatron's path to victory broke every code of honor that Dinobot knew.

And the fact that Dinobot had served so well as a Maximal was enough to give Optimus hope that Maximals and Predicons could get along, even function well. Even Blackarachnia had come around. Despite his early doubts about Silverbolt being able to get her side with them, she had truly seemed to have changed her 'allegiances' no matter what her command codes were.

But Queen had not gone through any similar change. She saw no problem with toppling the Maximal Elders, even if it was underhanded and didn't give them the chance to even try to defend themselves. Something Optimus believed Dinobot wouldn't do because of his code of honor. And working with the various Maximals that made up the resistance had not made her see that there was more to life then conquest for the pure joy of it. And that left Optimus with a very important question. And that was, what would come next?

"Yes, off course the drones will shut down, but it won't matter if they take out everyone else in the time it takes to crack the code," Queen answered, trying to defend her position.

"Then Dinobot won't have to defeat them, merely hold them off until Rattrap cracks the code," Optimus retorted.

"You're crazy!" Queen retorted.

"Sometimes, crazy works," Optimus sighed, feeling like he'd said that line for the thousandth time.

Rattrap, meanwhile kept typing away to get through the code. He didn't like Queen's line of thought, but while she debated with Optimus, he at least had the free time to work on breaking the codes that the Tripredicus forces had encrypted into Omega One's computers. Then, after a few more keystrokes, the code line closed and he had access.

"Ha!" Rattrap smiled, "I'm in! Told ya there was no need to rush! What do you want to do first?"

"Deactivate the satellites around Cybertron," Optimus ordered, "and then hail Dinobot on the Liberator. Tell him he has some targets to destroy."

Rattrap nodded and entered in a few keystrokes.

**The Liberator**

Things remained quiet on the Liberator as they waited for Optimus to send them some signal that the Tripredicus follower had been defeated. The wait had been tense for them, as if Optimus's group failed, that would mean that Dinobot and his small team would be left. Of course, that could mean that defeating the Tripredicus follower would be easier, but it would also mean that Optimus Primal had been destroyed. And that was not something Dinobot would have wanted.

Before the Beast Wars, Dinobot had been privately certain that there would never get him to side with the Maximals on anything. Then he encountered Optimus Primal and found out how truly evil and vile Megatron's plans were. Optimus Primal had honor, and Dinobot would gladly give his life in Primal's service. Losing Optimus Primal would be a loss that would be irreplaceable. Even if Optimus won glory in doing so.

"Any news?" Dinobot inquired, hoping something had come in.

"Noth... wait," Cheetor answered, "I think we're being hailed by Omega One."

"Put it through," Dinobot answered, "If that slagging Tripredicus follower has some surrender demand... we will answer firmly and with everything!"

As Cheetor made the connection, the face that appeared on the communications screen was not the Tripredicus follower, but Rattrap.

"Hello, Chopperface, good to see ya!" Rattrap gave a smirk, "Do I have good news for you!"

"You control the station?" Dinobot questioned.

"Not only control it, but in command of it and all the systems the Tripredicus guys got!" Rattrap said with a smirk, "And we're about to end the war in one series of pushing buttons!"

"Spare me your enthusiasm," Dinobot commented, "what are Optimus' orders?"

"I'm about to shut down the weapons satellites they have wringing Cybertron," Rattrap commented, "Your job is to blow up the remaining satellites. In case any sparked Tripredicus followers out there avoid capture and flee here... they'd arrive to not only find that we control the planet, but that the weapons they're counting on taking over are gone. Sweat plan, eh?"

Dinobot nodded in response, "It will be done. Dinobot, out."

Rattrap nodded and signed off on his end of the channel. Dinobot meanwhile turned back to Terrorsaur at the pilot's seat of the Liberator.

"Take us back to space," Dinobot ordered, "there are a few last minute details to take care of."

Terrorsaur nodded and began to pilot the ship upward. Beside him at the ship's weapons console, Depthcharge waited until the ship rose into the space around Cybertron again. As the ship left Cybertron's atmosphere, the main view screen displayed the various weapons satellites that surrounded the planet, or at least those that survived their decoy efforts earlier in the battle. At first the satellites moved to target the Liberator in accordance with what the Tripredicus followers had likely programmed them to do, but that soon changed.

As the ship came closer, Dinobot observed a change in the lights that flanked various sections of the satellites. Probably so that Tripredicus maintenance crews could move to them and fix them should they have been damaged. As the Liberator moved into the space around Cybertron, those lights were a bright green color, but in a flash that went through all the satellites they dimmed to black and they began to drift in random patterns. Like they'd all been shut down.

"Gotta hand it to the mouse," Depthcharge commented, "they all appear to be down."

And with that the transmetal manta ray filed the Liberator's weapons at the closest satellite, destroying it.

**Elsewhere**

A small Maximal colony sat under siege from Tripredicus forces. They had been a scientific team sent to explore a planet being referred to as Vegatas, and they had encountered a great many wonders on the world that were intended to back to Cybertron for scientific presentation. But then the Tripredicus drones came. They destroyed much of the plant life on Vegatas and in great numbers kept the small Maximal science team pinned down inside their base.

"They've gotten inside our main defenses!" a lone male transformer announced in a nervous voice, "They'll make it inside the base soon!"

"Do you have your weapons?" the leader of the team, a femmebot asked with a sigh.

The transformer nodded in response, but his answer was not all that confident. And that was understandable. While many Maximals had given a lot of hero worship to Optimus Prime from the Great War, for the most part, there were few Maximals that had a truly military type of mindset. Most colonies got one of these transformers to act protectors as Depthcharge had been before Rampage, or Protoform X, had wiped it out. Others hired dissatisfied Predicons as mercenaries. Many times, the colony leader and the Predicon operative would form a good working relationship, similar to Dinobot's service to Optimus Primal in the Beast Wars, but when the Tripredicus Council launched their first attacks, many of these mercenaries behaved like Queen. Eager to take down the Maximals until they realized the Tripredicus Council intended to wipe out all descendents of Autobot and Decipticon.

This commonly meant that many Maximal explorers, scientists, and colonists had to learn all things military when the Tripredicus War began. And for this small outpost, there was still some unease about it. The commander sighed, looked out over the windows and saw the drones assaulting her base. They came steadily closer and closer, firing on the guns mounted to defend her ship.

"Don't worry... we'll manage," she said weakly.

She got ready to turn and face the entrances to the ship when the drones all suddenly stopped and then fell down. One of her other crewmembers brought her attention to it.

"Look, ma'am!" the other crewmember said in a surprised voice, "they all went offline!"

"We didn't hit them!" the first crewman answered.

"Something must have happened," the mission commander spoke, "best to destroy and dismantle them... just in case. Once that's done, we are to prepare to return to Cybertron, see what this is."

"Yes, ma'am," the first crewman answered and stood up.

**Omega One**

"There," Rattrap announced, "all Tripredicus drones are shut down, as are all the satellites around Cybertron."

"Good," Queen spoke quickly, "we can put all of the Tripredicus' plans behind us."

"Of course," Optimus spoke trying to be diplomatic.

He had some mistrust of Queen, particularly because she didn't apologize for her early involvement in the Tripredicus take over, but he didn't want to reignite a new phase of the Beast Wars on Cybertron, and neither did he want to restart the Great War. That would largely mean working with Queen.

"This will mean that a lot of the colony worlds will send representatives back to Cybertron," Blackarachnia commented, "either to investigate what caused the drones to go offline or make contact with us."

"We'll be ready! A new Cybertron will await them!" Queen said confidently.

"Yeah, yeah, that'll take time though," Rattrap cut in, "the bigger thing for the moment is what to do with the sparks?"

Optimus looked over to the spark chamber that was a level below them. The sparks were protected in it and kept alive, which was a good thing, but the chamber was massive in size. It was so big that they could not transfer it to the Liberator and have the ship take the sparks down. That left only one real option, which Queen spoke.

"We'll have to land Omega One on Cybertron's surface," Queen spoke, "at least until we can figure out what to do with all the sparks."

"The sparks will be given a new body to reside in," Optimus said firmly, "that is NOT to be debated."

"We'll still need to land Omega One," Queen shot back, "It's why your engineer here decided to hack into their system."

"Would Cybertron be able to handle this thing's weight?" Blackarachnia wondered after a moment, "This thing is as big as a small moon... maybe a little bit smaller, but not by much."

"I don't know," Optimus sighed heavily, "but I don't think we have much of a choice. Much of the space is devoted to weapons space or control areas, or as this area shows, spark storage. I don't think there are any areas that could manufacture protoforms..."

"What about their actual bodies?" Blackarachnia asked.

"Those were commonly destroyed after the sparks were removed," Queen answered, "or converted into the manufacture of drones... or were removed because they were too badly damaged from fighting the Tripredicus forces. Even if we found their bodies, they wouldn't be able to keep their sparks alive and they'd go offline, permanently."

"So, what's your command, boss monkey?" Rattrap asked.

"Scan Cybertron's surface," Optimus urged, "see if there is an open area away from where the underground base is that we can land Omega One... preferably also away from major factory or supply areas. We'll probably need them for protoform manufacture."

Rattrap nodded and began the scanning process. After a few moments, the scanners found a location. It was nearly two hundred miles from where the underground base was and fit Optimus's qualifications for landing.

"Right about there is our only shot to land," Rattrap spoke, and pointed to the point on the map of Cybertron displayed on one of the screens, "that's the best spot available."

"Then take us down," Queen commanded.

"Slowly," Optimus added, "we don't want to damage the spark containment unit or create a meteoric impact."

"Oh boy," Rattrap grumbled, "Who thought we'd all die after winning?"

He then dutifully pressed a series of buttons to begin the landing sequence.

**To Be Continued...**


	4. Chapter 4

Beast Wars and all characters and things related are copyright and trademark of Hasbro and Mainframe Entertainment. This work, however, is the original work of the author.

Note: This story takes place immediately after "Saving Cybertron".

A Whole New World, Chapter 4

By TVfan

**Omega One**

"Are you sure this can be done?" Blackarachnia questioned seriously.

"It has thrusters, just like any ship," Queen answered, "and based off of the data that your rat has uncovered, it does have a landing sequence."

"Probably not for a planet the size of Cybertron," Blackarachnia pointed out, "this station is the size of a moon. Even if the landing is gentle, its weight will do damage to the surface of Cybertron."

"I hate to break up this argument, but the landing cycle for this thing is more of a hovering program, not an actual landing," Rattrap answered, "it was probably designed to enable the Tripredicus faction to load large numbers of equipment and drones and other things from Cybertron in one massed shipment."

"So, we can't truly land on Cybertron's surface?" Optimus asked curiously.

"Not in the traditional way," Rattrap answered, "We'd probably come close to the surface and then hover for a while. Anyway, as Legs says, landing this thing probably wouldn't be a good idea. Especially considering that Cybertron ain't entirely metal all the way through."

That was a reference to what they'd found out about Cybertron when they set up the base they'd operated out of to fight the Tripredicus Council. Cybertonian legend had always held Cybertron as a robotic planet. It had been created by the Key to Vector Sigma to be a robotic world, largely to explain how the planet was the home world to every transformer that was. They were, after all, sentient machines that had the robotic equivalent of a soul. And these legends had never been really investigated. Some Autobots and Maximals may have wanted to explore these legends, but wars with the Decipticons and Predicons got in the way of that.

However, the establishment of a permanent resistance base had killed that legend as dead as dead a steel post. In searching for a place to establish a base, they had found a stone cave underneath all of the metal pipes and tubes of Cybertron's lower levels. A stone cave! Optimus had remembered discussions with Rhinox about the caves that had been on Earth during the Beast Wars, but neither of them had ever figured that Cybertron would have a geologic feature more commonly found on organic worlds. They had felt that Cybertron would be an all metal planet, or at list silicon based. Yet, they'd found a cave. A cave made of rock, which meant that at one point in Cybertron's history, it had been an organic world. Optimus was curious to find out more, but for the moment, there was much still to do.

"Take us as close as you can, Rattrap," Optimus instructed, "meanwhile while we're hovering, we can unload the spark containment unit and the various essential pieces of equipment we'll need to get Cybertron back up and running."

"Sure," Rattrap nodded.

Optimus then turned to Blackarachnia who stood by quietly, "in the meantime, can you check one of the other computers and see what we'll need to do to remove the spark containment unit safely. I don't want them let lose to go into bodies that are dead or critically disabled."

"That'd kill the sparks, I'd assume?" Queen asked.

Optimus nodded.

"Best to also contact Dinobot," Queen then commented, "Have him get a large number of those on Cyberton to move to where we'll be hovering. I'd bet that this will be a job that cannot be done by just a small number of transformers."

Again, Optimus nodded.

**The Liberator**

Destroying the deactivated drones was easy, as the crew of the Liberator no longer had to worry about taking fire from them. All that was left for Dinobot to do was to take the ship in an orbit that followed the ring of weapons satellites the Tripredicus faction had placed around Cybertron. It would allow all ships to return to Cybertron, though Dinobot didn't expect any ships to arrive for some time.

"That appears to be the last of them," Depthcharge reported as they destroyed the last of the weapons satellites.

Dinobot was about to answer as the ship came around Cyberton again and the moon sized drone that the Tripredicus Council had had built came into view. The sight of it wasn't that surprising. The entire crew of the Liberator knew it was there, and Omega One had actually been the reason for their mission to destroy the weapons satellites. By destroying them, Optimus' team would be able to board Omega One and secure it. And so far, that had been done. The war with the Tripredicus faction was over and the sparks on it were saved. That wasn't the surprising thing.

The surprising thing was what the massive moon sized station was doing. Large thrusting engines had appeared to open along the bottom half of the spheroid station and it was slowly lowering itself toward Cybertron below. Dinobot couldn't fully gage the speed, but he was able to guess that the massive station was in the process of landing.

"They're landing Omega One…" Cheetor spoke from the communications consoles, "they're landing Omega One… can they do that?"

"It would appear it has the capacity to land," Terrorsaur commented from the pilot's seat.

"It has the capacity to land," Depthcharge put in, "the real question is whether or not Cybertron can withstand the weight of something that is as big as a moon. If not, and it lands on the base… they could accidentally kill a large number of transformers."

Dinobot was unable to answer as the ships communications systems came to life again. They were being hailed. Again the contact came from Omega One.

"Hello, Liberator?" came Rattrap's voice, "this is your rodent robot reporter, how ya doin'?"

"What are our orders?" Dinobot questioned.

"What's going on, Rattrap?" Cheetor asked, "That thing can't land on Cybertron, can it?"

"Not in the way ya think, but it can land," Rattrap answered, "we need to bring it down into Cybertron's atmosphere to unload the spark containment unit here and all the necessary equipment… or at least move all the proper equipment into a position where we can begin reanimating the transformers that the Tripredicus Council took offline."

"I assume we're to get the others to help from the ground?" Dinobot questioned.

"If all the weapons satellites have been destroyed," Rattrap answered.

"Then it will be done," Dinobot replied.

**Cybertron**

Silverbolt came quietly up from the lower levels Cybertron's capital city and where their underground base was. Things had been rather calm on Cybertron, but the Maximal fuzor had some interest in the events playing out above the planet. And they were more than just the threat of a revived Unicron eating the planet and killing all of them. Blackarachnia was with the team that had gone after Druyd, and Silverbolt's personality, mirrored on the ideal and somewhat fictional image of a human medieval knight, couldn't stand not being there to protect her, or fight by her side.

"You know, I'd never thought I'd live to see a day like this again," came a new voice from behind him.

Silverbolt turned to see that it was the resistance member, Bandit. The raccoon transformer was in his robot mode, but Silverbolt got the sense he still could scale many of the vertical or near vertical surfaces that made up the massive urban area that made up Cybertron's surface.

"You're from around here originally?" Silverbolt asked.

"Not here, but most cities on Cybertron are pretty similar," Bandit answered, "but I also wasn't referring to the cityscape itself. I was thinking more about the peacefulness of it all."

"Peace would be a good thing," Silverbolt nodded, "but that isn't quite why I am here."

Bandit looked at him curiously, "You're not from Cybertron originally, are you? You're from a colony…"

Silverbolt nodded, "and my spark had been matched with a protoform when I joined Optimus's ship the Axalon… though that's based off of the logs I was able to read during the Beast Wars. Based on how I was activated, a lot of my identity circuits were damaged… But even that isn't why I'm here."

"Why are you here?" Bandit wondered.

"Blackarachnia is up there," Silverbolt answered as he looked up toward the sky above them, "I should be there."

"Ah…" Bandit spoke, "Don't worry… I'm sure she'll be fine and she'll come back to you. With the Tripredicus Council gone and their drones probably to be deactivated soon, I doubt there's anything to threaten her or the others."

Silverbolt nodded and looked up again. The battle against the Tripredicus Council had ended in a victory for them, and made sure that Cybertron was in 'resistance' hands. And with that, the war would be over, hopefully. A good part of him wondered what would happen now that peace was finally within reach. It had seemed that all Silverbolt had known was combat, but now it seemed like that would be over. The real question would be what would happen next. Neither he nor Bandit got much of an opportunity to ponder that any further though.

"Holy Spark Plugs!" Bandit gasped and then pointed up into the sky, "Look!"

Silverbolt glanced at him and then looked in the direction in which Bandit was pointing. And there, in the sky was a large spherical metal shape slowly descending into the atmosphere. It was the size of a moon and there were several thrusting engines along its lower half, which all seemed to be on and firing at full power.

"That must be Omega One," Silverbolt said nervously as he eyed the massive station coming down toward the planet.

"They activated Unicron!" Bandit said nervously, "why else would it come into the atmosphere! We gotta warn the others and get out of here!"

Silverbolt wanted to do that. But he was honestly petrified by the sight of the massive station coming down from the stars. The station was massive in size and could easily crush much of planet if it made contact with the planet's surface. And while the station seemed to be landing a fair distance away from them, both Silverbolt and Bandit could feel the backwash of the station's thrusters. As they watched, the station continued to slowly descend toward the surface of Cybertron. It came lower and lower and lower. It came so low, that it began to blot out the light from Cybertron's sun.

"It's gonna crush us all!" Bandit said nervously.

"I don't see any weapons arming!" Silverbolt commented.

"Being that big, it doesn't need weapons!" Bandit argued.

By then, a strange darkness had fallen on Cybertron, leaving them in Omega One's shadow. But now, the massive station, or drone, or even transformer stopped moving. Its descent had ceased. Even with that, though, things did not appear to be over. For while Omega One was no longer in the process of landing, it was still hovering in place and left a large portion of Cybertron's city scape underneath it feeling the effects of its thrusters. The sounds of metal structures being blown over easily reached Silverbolt's audio receptors. The station was quite literally blowing buildings down to maintain its altitude. They could even feel the blowing wind where they were, but were thankfully far enough away that they couldn't feel the worst of it.

"What's it doing?" Bandit gasped in surprise.

"For the moment, hovering," Silverbolt answered, "and still no weapons have been armed. Nothing has come out of it. Maybe Optimus and Queen won, and they're returning the sparks to Cybertron or something."

"Maybe," Bandit said slowly, "but I'd wonder why."

"Me too," Silverbolt managed.

**Omega One**

Following what could be described as a 'religious' experience, Tigerhawk returned to Omega One's main control area, where Optimus, Queen, Blackarachnia, and Rattrap were. There was a flurry of motion at the computer panel where Rattrap was, and for the moment Optimus and Queen seemed to be focused on him.

"We're holding our height alright?" Queen asked the transmetal rat.

"Yeah," Rattrap answered, "we're holding the prescribed landing height listed in the computer. But we're fighting Cybertron's gravity. We have a few hours' worth of energon before we'd need to move back into deep space. If not, our thrusters will lose the battle with Cybertron's gravity and we'll crash."

"Hopefully Dinobot and the others can hurry," Optimus sighed, "as we're going to need to do quite a lot to get things ready."

"And how do you expect this to work again?" Blackarachnia asked, "Omega One has the cables and equipment to lower everything, but based off of the force of thrust that our engines are putting down on whatever is below us, the spark containment unit might not be able to withstand it."

"Can we also lower the various 'mystic technology' on Omega One as well?" Tigerhawk inquired, "The computer link with the Oracle and the Matrix."

"Is that the only other thing that would need to be removed?" Optimus asked, assuming that Tigerhawk had been checking what else to look at and remove.

"I was mostly just looking around, as there wasn't much that you needed me for here," Tigerhawk answered, "and I ended up there. So I don't think there is anything else needed to be removed."

"Well, there is a protoform factory adjacent to the Oracle and Matrix Link," Rattrap spoke up, "according to the map anyway. Probably to enable Unicron to create spawns to serve him."

"How big is it?" Queen asked.

"The link to the Oracle and the Matrix are fairly big," Tigerhawk sighed, "and will probably need to be taken apart piece by piece in order to make it effective."

"According the schematics, the factory would need to be taken apart and reassembled as well," Rattrap nodded, "Some of that may need to be saved for later and using the Liberator to ferry the parts down to wherever you want to construct the link."

Optimus sighed heavily. This was all part of the various things that he knew would have to come before everything would settle down. Even with the Tripredicus Council defeated and not even existing any more, there were a lot of things that needed to be done. And they would have to be done to put an end to the cycle of civil wars that Transformers fought between their various factions. The Great War between the Autobots and the Decepticons, the various minor wars between Maximals and Predicons that had occurred over the years, with the Beast Wars being the latest of these, and then the Tripredicus War that had just ended. Something would have to be done.

They had to create a government that would function well and let all have an equal voice in things. While the Autobots and the Maximals had left the door open for the Decepticons and the Predicons to enter into a democratic government for all Cybertron, they had rejected it, and had found themselves under Maximal rule when they did so. Now, on the most partisan political basis, Optimus felt they deserved it. They were offered a spot in the government and they refused to participate because they weren't allowed to rule. But, with his experiences with Dinobot in mind, Optimus knew that more had to be done. Dinobot was honorable and had largely been let down by his own faction, which lead to him joining Megatron in the first place.

Complicating matters was the fact that the Maximal government had been destroyed when the Tripredicus Council launched their takeover. His crew had found the offline bodies of the Maximal Elders when they first landed on Cybertron. Given the damage they had sustained, they were dead. The elected leaders of the Maximal faction were dead, and thus, there was no real effective government for Cybertron now that the Tripredicus Council was gone. A lot of these things were also seen in how Queen's resistance to the Tripredicus Council worked. Queen was a Predicon, but there were others who were Maximals who willingly served her. Much like Dinobot had come to serve him in the Beast Wars.

It was a great hope for a better future, but also something that would signal difficulty. It showed that Maximals and Predicons could get along. Something that hardliners for each side had always believed to be impossible. But the fact of how it had formed was a reminder that nothing could go back to the way it was. Not without starting another war. Queen would probably never accept having Cybertron being ruled by a Maximal lead government, given that she had willingly helped the Tripredicus Council take over Cybertron before she learned that they were also willing to get rid of any transformer that was not a descendent of Unicron. The world that Optimus had been 'born' to would never be returned again.

That left it up to Optimus and Queen to put forward something that would create a new world politically for Cybertron. A world where Maximal democratic ideals wouldn't be erased, but also one where the Predicons wouldn't be left out. A world where both factions would be involved in governing Cybertron. And Optimus knew that would be the hardest task ahead of them. But for the moment, there were more important things to work on and figure out. Mostly to restore the transformers that had lost their bodies and placed in the spark containment unit while the Tripredicus Council was trying to bring back Unicron. The full political solution wouldn't be ready for to begin trying to achieve for a while.

"Hey! Boss monkey!" Rattrap cut into Optimus's thoughts, snapping him out of it.

"What… sorry, just thinking," Optimus sighed.

"Anything in particular?" Queen wondered.

"Nothing that we can truly settle this instant," Optimus sighed, "things related to the future."

Queen didn't immediately answer, but Blackarachnia also didn't give her the chance to make any sort of political statement.

"Well, if we can come back to the here and now, can we get a decision on how to deal with these things?" Blackarachnia asked.

"We'll lower the spark containment unit first," Optimus stated, "we'll need you to use your cyberwebbing to help steady things on our end as well as getting the others on the ground to help stabilize things. If there is any time left afterward, we can start taking apart the protoform factory and the link to the Oracle and Matrix. But for the moment, the safety of the sparks will be our first priority."

Queen nodded in agreement, which half startled Optimus a bit, but he wasn't going to complain about someone agreeing with him. There was a lot that needed doing. And from where he stood, Tigerhawk also agreed. The Oracle and Matrix may want a major change to help and reform Cybertron, but fighting for that now wouldn't work out well as there were many issues that were more important in the short term. There would be plenty of time to build a world that was both technological and organic.

**Underground Base**

The crew of the Liberator found things moving along quietly and slowly in the underground base that they had been using since Optimus and the 'beast warriors' had returned to Cybertron. Moving there had been necessary at the time to avoid attack by the Tripredicus Council. Now, it was no longer needed, but it was still in use because it was where their equipment worked best. This created a sort of 'lost' feeling that Dinobot noticed as he and the others made their way into the base, in time that would end. Rapther and Rhinox were the first to approach him and the others.

"You're back," Rhinox said slowly as he approached, "How did it go? Where is Optimus?"

"The weapons satellites are no more, and Optimus's team has gained control of Omega One," Dinobot answered.

"However, they need just about everyone to get to where they're bringing Omega One down," Cheetor added.

"They're bringing a moon sized station onto Cybertron!" Rhinox gasped.

"Not truly landing it, but yeah, they're bringing it into the atmosphere," Cheetor nodded, "mostly to lower the spark containment unit down onto Cybertron. We need to get there and help stabilize everything while they're transferring everything."

"What about moon? Waspinator does not want to be crushed by a moon!" Waspinator commented as he approached.

"If we do this quickly, we probably can transfer the sparks from Omega One to Cybertron," Depthcharge added, "but we need to go now. There is only a limited amount of time before the station's energon begins to run low, and they have to get back into high orbit to avoid crashing into Cybertron's surface."

Rhinox only sighed and turned toward the gathering transformers.

"Sly, Whiteout, Cybershark, Squeak, remain here to guard the prisoners!" Rhinox commanded, "the rest of you, let's move. We have work to do!"

Everyone but the ones that Rhinox had called to guard the prisoners taken at the end of the Beast Wars and defeat of the Tripredicus Council were quick to approach. They were all soon following Dinobot and the Liberator's crew out and into main tunnels of Cybertron's underground. They had a series of passageways and ladders to go through until they'd even be in a position move toward where Optimus had Omega One hovering above Cybertron's surface. As they got toward the last underground level, they ran into Silverbolt and Bandit coming in.

"Rhinox!" Silverbolt gasped, "Omega One has come into the atmosphere! It's…"

"Under our control," Rhinox cut him off, "now come on. We've got to get there quickly and help them unload the spark containment unit before they run out of energon and crash into the planet."

Silverbolt and Bandit both gasped for a moment and then began to regain some composure.

"I'd advise against that and urge telling Optimus to take Omega One back into space now," Silverbolt spoke, "It's thrusters have done damage to the buildings in the area. We won't be able to stand up to it."

"The decision has already been made," Rhinox answered, "We've got to do this and we're running against time. If we don't, things will become more problematic."

"And we'd tend to be stronger than the buildings anyway," Rapther commented, "and we must have faith that Optimus will take steps to negate the effects of the station's thrusters."

Silverbolt and Bandit then sighed and joined the group leaving the underground base. As they came up onto the surface of Cyberton, the transformers that had all been underground came to see the artificial night caused by Omega One's move into Cybertron's atmosphere. It wasn't pitch black the way things would be when that portion of Cybertron turned away from the planet's sun, but it was still dark. The sunlight that they did see seemed to be a soft and strange glow that seemed to come around the edge of the massive moon-like station that had come down into Cybertron's atmosphere.

"Cybertron's never had an eclipse like this before," Ultra Mantex commented curiously.

"Probably because the moon's never come down onto Cybertron before," Virox grumbled.

For the most part, Rhinox ignored the grumbling. On a personal level, he would agree with Silverbolt that bringing a moon sized station into Cybertron's atmosphere was a mistake, but that couldn't be changed now. Queen had likely pushed things to do things the quick and easy way, and now they'd have to pay the price for her rushing of things. And now they would have to simply make do with what had been done. There was no other option, they would have to hope that Optimus was doing all he could to insure that things would be stable. That they weren't in danger of being blown away by Omega One's engines.

**Outside Omega One**

Blackarachnia was certain she'd never want to do this again she moved around the outside of the giant spherical station. The wind generated by the station's thrusters was fierce, and the transmetal two spider had all she could do to maintain her grip on the sides of the station's walls. For the moment she was helping move things to insure that the winds generated by Omega One wouldn't do damage to the spark containment unit when it was lowered out of a large bottom hatch in the station and onto Cybertron's surface.

In doing this, she was able to see just what the force of wind that Omega One's thrusters had done. All of the buildings underneath had been practically leveled. Those that hadn't were only standing because the rubble of the other buildings was in the way. Blackarachnia had no way of knowing what the buildings were for, but she was certain it would mean that there would be a lot of rebuilding to be done once things were back to the way Cybertron was supposedly supposed to be. But for the moment, that was something that would have to wait at least a little while. They still had to construct a sort of 'shield' that would protect the spark containment unit.

The 'shield' was not an especially high tech one. It mostly consisted of taking bits of the rubble and webbing them in place so that they hung around the area that the spark containment unit would be lowered through. From there it would drape down to the ground and provide a direct shield for the spark containment unit. Thankfully there was more than enough debris to use. The only concern Blackarachnia had was whether or not she could manufacture enough cyberwebbing to hold the debris pieces together. In that regard, the situation could only be described as 'so far so good'. She hadn't run out yet, and the pieces being brought up were large enough that while a fair amount of cyberwebbing would have to be used, she didn't have to use a lot told three thousand bot sized pieces to cover an area that would need more than three million of debris pieces that size.

And she wasn't alone in trying to put the makeshift shield together. Optimus and Tigerhawk were both braving the winds generated by Omega One's thrusters to bring debris pieces up to where the last pieces of the shield had been placed. And the wind made havoc on both of them. Rattrap worried heavily over Omega One's energon supply, but Blackarachnia was privately sure that Optimus and Tigerhawk would expend their own personal supplies flying out and against the wind, commonly with something large and heavy in their arms.

"Here's another one," Optimus announced as he flew up to place another piece of debris in a spot where it could be held.

Blackarachnia was quick to move to that spot and lay cyberwebbing over the two edges and also linking them to the strands of cyberwebbing already placed down. After two quick passes, the piece was securely held in place.

"How are we doing for time, Rattrap?" Optimus asked into his radio.

"We got about one and one half megacylces left," came Rattrap's answer over the radio, "and you're a little more than half way done."

"Any sign of the others?" Optimus asked.

"I got some signs of movement at the edge of my scanning radius and headed this way," Rattrap replied, "I'd assume that that is them."

In the main control area for Omega One, Queen and Rattrap retained the main monitoring duties. Rattrap was monitoring the sensors and the fuel gage, which would be critical in present mission. If this wasn't done, they ran the risk of falling into Cyberton's surface, which wasn't desired. Generally it was a post that Rattrap could do alone and let Queen help with the rest of the work, but Queen was fearful that she would not be able to fly effectively against the winds that Omega One's thrusters were generating.

"I've never seen a Predicon do that," Queen commented as she looked onto the screens that showed Optimus and Tigerhawk carrying supplies up to Blackarachnia to web to make the shield.

"What?" Rattrap asked, "Lift something heavy? Cause if that's the case; you need to get out more often. Megatron was a pretty tough dude to fight in the Beast Wars."

"Not in the sense of strength," Queen answered, "the sight of a faction's leader involved in what would be considered menial manual labor."

"And you think Maximals work like Predicons?" Rattrap retorted, "Where our leaders just sit on a throne and rule while the rest of serve as cogs in their plans?"

"That was the way saw it with regard to the Maximal Elders," Queen answered, "they made decisions that both you and us had to follow. Decisions that went against what it meant to be a Predicon, and yet they were always in seclusion in their Council Center and their secluded area in the Capital City."

"They didn't do much because they were old," Rattrap commented, "There's a reason they were called the Maximal Elders. They do anything like this and their fluid pumps would break from the strain."

That made Queen pause for a moment. The propaganda she remembered seeing from the Tripredicus Council before she realized what they were really up to had always depicted the Maximal Elders as tyrants. Bloated fools that took advantage of the fact the Autobots had won the Great War to command everyone. That they deliberately left the Predicons in poverty to try and make sure they could never topple Maximal wealth. It had been a useful tool, as many Predicons sided with the Tripredicus Council which portrayed itself as heroic for standing up to the Maximal Elders and preserving Predicon autonomy. Anyone that did any research to check the validity of these things commonly disappeared. As a result, Queen had assumed that the term 'elder' for the Maximals was more of a badge of office instead of their actual age.

"On top of it, the Maximal Elders were still responsible to an elected body within the Maximal faction," Rattrap continued, "shoot, even in terms of having power, the Elders were elected. This means they could have been voted out, and they'd just be a bunch of old bots."

"I'd never heard it put that way," Queen replied.

"Good reason not to get so partisan to favor one side, eh?" Rattrap inquired.

"A lesson for ALL sides," Queen reminded him, and then returned her gaze to the images of Optimus aiding in the construction of the shield.

She quietly marveled at him for a few a moments.

"It surprises me further that you simply didn't make him your undisputed leader," Queen commented, "he works for you… he is strong… his power is undeniable, and while he may not think himself a warrior… and his tactics wouldn't be the first ones a Predicon would choose… he does fit the part."

"Are you appraising his leadership skills or developing a crush on him?" Rattrap wondered.

"I…" Queen stopped, caught and not wanting to admit anything, "what do your scanners say on where the others are?"

Rattrap let Queen's earlier statement drop and returned to his duties that Optimus had given him.

**On Cybertron's Surface**

The darkness was not total. As Rhinox and the others ran as hard as they could to link up with Optimus and the crew that had taken over Omega One, they'd found that the station's thrusters gave off an additional source of light in addition to delivering blistering winds onto Cybertron's surface. Though, not a Cybertronian's optics truly needed an outside source of light to see. Their own eyes could generate light, or their helmets had flashlights attached to them. It was one of the perks of robotic life. Organic life had adapted to low light and even total darkness, but they commonly had to rely on other senses the darker it got. Cybertonians did not, and even if an area got difficult for one set of optics, a Cybertronian could always upgrade for a newer set.

The greatest problem they had was dealing with the wind that was being generated by Omega One's thrusters. They had to put out a lot of thrust to make sure that the station didn't have a meteoric impact on Cybertron. Thankfully, there was no burning of Cybertron's surface, as would be the case if humanity's rocket based thrusters were being used, but Cybertronian ionic thrusters still generated wind in an atmosphere. The winds were getting stronger the closer they got to where Omega One was. Some of the smaller transformers had to go underground because they didn't have the strength to stand up to the winds. And of those that did have the strength, Rhinox could tell it was tough going. Rhinox prayed that Optimus knew what he was doing.

"I don't think the sparks will survive this," Wolffang commented, "the winds are just too much!"

"Optimus will do something to insure that that won't happen," Cheetor answered, "He's too smart to make such an obvious mistake. He'd do something to counter the station's thrusters."

"Did he tell you on the Liberator what that plan was?" Wolffang questioned.

"No, but we gotta have faith in Optimus," Cheetor answered, "He hasn't steered us wrong before."

Rhinox found himself nodding to that. He had known Optimus Primal a long time, even going before when Optimus was given command of the Axalon. While back then, Rhinox never pictured Optimus becoming the hero that he would become, he knew Optimus did fit the role. He was perfectly capable of making mistakes, but he wouldn't do anything that would amount to a mistake without having some sort of plan to compensate for it. And as they got closer to where Omega One was, Rhinox was able to see that Optimus was doing something about Omega One's thrusters.

Hanging from the bottom of Omega One were several large pieces of metal, likely debris from the buildings that had been blown down by the wind that all of them were fighting now. It looked like a giant metal skirt hanging from the bottom of the station, and was held together by Blackarachnia's cyberwebbing. As they continued to push through the winds generated by the moon sized station, Rhinox could see Optimus and Tigerhawk battling the wind to move more debris into a position where they'd contribute to the shield. Hopefully, it'd hold long enough to get the spark containment unit onto Cybertron's surface.

"And it would look like Optimus is working on some sort of shield," Rhinox commented, drawing attention to the 'shield' of debris being hung around the bottom of Omega One.

"And Monkey Bot and Tigerbot are flying in the wind," Waspinator buzzed when he saw the work being done.

"Amazing," was all Virox could hiss out.

"I'm beginning to run low on cyberwebbing," Blackarachnia announced as they continued to work using more and more pieces of debris to be part of the shield for the spark containment unit.

"Fortunately we're almost done," Optimus replied, "all that's left is one piece."

"Good," Blackarachnia managed and then moved to that open spot.

As she arrived, Tigerhawk had arrived with the spare piece. Optimus was quick to help grab the piece of debris from the other side and help hold it up. The shield hung down to the ground, and would mean that the other resistance fighters coming from the main base would have to go underground and then come up through the underground tunnels to get inside the shield. But so far, the idea was working. Inside the shield, Optimus could barely feel that there was any wind being generated by Omega One's thrusters. He maintained his position while Blackarachnia used up the last of her cyberwebbing to hold everything in place.

"There, done," Blackarachnia called through the shield, "everything should be in place."

Optimus then let go and double checked everything. It all seemed to be in order, and the fact that the shield reached the ground would mean that its weight wouldn't be seriously testing the cyberwebbing.

"Very good," Optimus spoke, "how are you, webbing wise?"

"Not enough to hang all the extra support cables that you and Queen want to use to lower the spark containment unit," Blackarachnia answered, "maybe one or two, but not much more."

"Go on in and rest up," Optimus urged her; "we'll find another way."

Optimus then moved to one of the street side entrances to the tunnels underneath Cybertron. When they had started constructing the shield, it had been covered in debris, and when they uncovered, they'd found that the rubble had actually fallen through that portion of the street. Much of the street was still there, but there was now a hole that Optimus could fit through in it. He doubted the damaged street would fully support the weight of the spark containment unit, but there wasn't much choice. He hoped that if it did go through, they'd be able to make it a slow enough descent that the sparks wouldn't be damaged.

Once underground, Optimus moved forward until he had gone under the shield. Once on the other side of it, Optimus went until he found the next entrance to the street level. He found that it, like the one under the shield had been heavily damaged and had resulted in a hole with a pile of rubble falling through and some light coming through. Optimus could only sigh and begin pushing some things aside to climb out. They would have a lot of work to do to rebuild Cybertron. He climbed out to find Tigerhawk waiting for him. The transmetal two fuzor looked reasonably okay, but there was the obvious strain that he was physically putting up against the force of the station's thrusters.

"I can see Rhinox and the others approaching," Tigerhawk reported to him.

"Good," Optimus answered, "Good. And the shield seems to work well enough. No wind inside… or at least not enough to be noticeable."

Tigerhawk nodded and stood by Optimus as the others arrived. Optimus looked over toward the Maximals and Predicons that had been battling Omega One's thrusters to get there.

"That's the shield?" Rhinox asked as he looked up toward the pieces of debris webbed to the bottom of Omega One.

"Yes," Optimus nodded, "It's a cobbled together sort of thing, but it works. Though we'll need to move quickly to make the transfer a successful one."

"Of course," Rhinox nodded.

"The process will start with the flyers providing the stabilization and potentially holding the spark containment unit," Optimus then explained, "the station has the cables and things to lower the unit, but we don't know how well it will function in Cybertron's atmosphere. Once it's on the ground, we'll need everyone to help support and stabilize it. Be warned though, it may sink through Cybertron's streets, so we may need some under the street to act as an additional brace for the spark containment unit."

Rhinox nodded, while Tigerhawk turned to Optimus.

"You'd best to the command center," Tigerhawk spoke, "I'll make sure everyone's positioned correctly and ready to 'catch' the sparks."

"Okay," Optimus nodded, "be careful."

"I will," Tigerhawk answered.

With that, Optimus shifted to his vehicle mode and blasted off into the atmosphere. Tigerhawk and the others looked up to see Optimus struggle against the station's thrusters, but he did make it into a hanger on Omega One.

"Okay, come on," Tigerhawk urged, "The transfer will begin shortly."

**Omega One**

Queen had been monitoring things quietly, when Blackarachnia came into the command area slowly, looking rather tired. She had managed to recover a bit from getting caught marveling at Optimus Primal. It was something she wasn't supposed to do. He was a Maximal, devoted to the Maximal faction's causes. Their democratic ideals and Maximal rule. And she was a Predicon, dedicated to their ideas. Gaining power, ruling Cybertron, and using that become even more powerful. Yet, Optimus Primal had caught her optics in ways she had never expected.

He worked for his side, and had proven himself a hero for the Maximals. And his form was incredibly powerful. In addition to this, despite his firm support for the Maximals, he didn't just demand she take a demotion in their interactions. He even went out of his way to insure her role as leader of the resistance fit with his role. They cooperated, something Queen had never thought possible.

"Yo, Legs, you okay?" Rattrap asked to Blackarachnia as the transmetal two spider moved and sat at the other computer terminal.

"Yeah, just a little drained," Blackarachnia answered, "I don't think I'll have enough cyberwebbing at the moment to help support the spark containment unit."

"I trust the shield works?" Queen questioned.

"Yeah, the shield works perfectly," Blackarachnia nodded, "Inside it, the wind from the thrusters is barely noticeable. Like it's only a gentle breeze."

Queen nodded and then turned to Rattrap, "then I'd suppose all that is left to do is to wait for Optimus to give the all clear."

Rattrap nodded and began setting the station's own loading and unloading systems to prepare to lower the sparks to Cybertron's surface. After a couple of keystrokes, a giant claw like device began to lower toward the spark containment unit. Queen and Blackarachnia both watched as it lowered toward what the Tripredicus faction had been storing the sparks in.

"How well will this work?" Queen asked, "Removing the containment unit will cut it off from the ship's power source, and the sparks will need some sort of support outside of a protoform… and while they have a protoform factory here… it doesn't have the raw materials needed to make the protoforms needed for all the sparks in that unit."

"The spark containment unit has its own power source," Rattrap answered, "that should last us a couple of weeks. Enough time for us to make contact with some of the other colonies or with Earth, see if the protoform factories there have enough parts to manage. Beyond that, we'd have to cobble the parts together with what we have right now."

"I suppose that'll have to do for now," Queen sighed as she looked down to see the claw hook into prearranged slots on the spark containment unit, "will that hold?"

"According to the readouts, yes," Rattrap nodded, "all we need is the boss monkey's word."

"And the word is given," came Optimus's voice as he arrived, "let's unload the spark containment unit before the station consumes all of its fuel."

Outside Depthcharge, Tigerhawk, Airazor, Waspinator, and Terrorsaur flew in low circles underneath the main center hatch for Omega One. Depthcharge found that Optimus's shield idea worked quite well. The winds from Omega One's thrusters weren't an issue. They were able to fly in slow circles without having to fight the forces of the winds at all. It was a relief to Depthcharge, as his beast mode fins caught a lot of wind on their way to where they were now. Most of the rest were on the ground, and those that weren't there were underground, in case the street couldn't support the weight of the spark containment unit.

"The war will soon be over!" Waspinator buzzed in a semi-excited voice.

"Don't be an idiot," Terrorsaur scolded him, "the war is already over. The Tripredicus Council is gone!"

"Then what are we doing now?" Waspinator wondered.

"Cleanup, unfortunately," Tigerhawk said slowly, "and that will not be over, even with the return of the sparks to Cybertron."

There was no time for anyone to answer as a great mechanical noise was generated by the station hovering above them. Tigerhawk looked up to see a large circular disk at the very bottom of Omega One pull up and then slide in along some internal track. It left the exterior of Omega One in place while opening up a large circular tube that went up into the station.

"It's starting!" Depthcharge called to the transformers on the ground that were waiting to aide in the final steps of placing the spark containment unit on the ground.

The flyers then continued to fly in slow circles as they waited for the spark containment unit to appear in sight. The sound of a heavy crane lowering something gave them a good hint that that was being done, and at the same time they could hear the sound of jets. After a few moments, the sounds of jets became obvious; Optimus was underneath the spark containment unit and had provided basic stabilization for it as it was lowered. So far, its weight wasn't a problem. Tigerhawk and Depthcharge were quick to fly toward him to see if he needed help.

"I'm good," Optimus said quickly, "you'd be best served to make sure it stays stable."

From the ground, Rhinox and Dinobot watched quietly as the flyers and Optimus began to stabilize the spark containment unit's descent to Cybertron from Omega One. It was slow going, but so far it looked like there was no danger of their being problems with the strength of Omega One's systems. Rhinox would have personally preferred using the Liberator to shuttle the sparks to Cybertron, but so far the chosen method was working, and no one could really complain. And once the sparks were on Cybertron, they could begin restoring them to life. They'd need to take Beast Modes thanks to the Trans-Lock virus that the Tripredicus Council had used, but they'd be alive.

"Be ready!" Rhinox commanded to those on the street.

They waited patiently as Optimus and the others helped lower and stabilize the spark containment unit as it came down. Once Optimus's feet touched the ground, the others reached up to 'catch' it and let Optimus get out from under the device. Several grunts were heard as they struggled to help hold up the unit as it was slowly lowered onto the street. Once there, Optimus activated his radio.

"Okay, it's on the street," Optimus spoke, "Give the cable some slack but don't disengage the clamp. We want to make sure it doesn't just fall through street."

Rhinox sighed heavily at that. In pure theory the streets of Cybertron were more than strong enough to hold something of the spark containment unit's size, but according to Rattrap, the Tunneler drones the Tripredicus Council had used had undermined the planet's known underground. Without those supports, the street's strength was vanishing. Rhinox stepped back a few moments to see if the street would hold, and was prepared to warn the others below if it didn't.

"Looks like it's holding," Rhinox commented to Optimus.

Before Optimus could even answer, there came a cracking noise from underneath the street where the spark containment unit had been placed. After a few more moment, those cracks became visible. The street wouldn't hold, and Rhinox was quick to rely instructions through his own radio.

"Packadex, Mammoth, be ready! The street will not support the unit's weight!" Rhinox said urgently.

Beneath them, Packadex, Mammoth, Silverbolt, Whiteout and Grease prepared. They could see the cracks forming in the street above them and new that the spark containment unit would fall through shortly after.

"Here it comes!" Silverbolt gasped as the street finally gave way and the unit began to actually fall.

Thankfully, Packadex, Whiteout, and Mammoth were able to reach up first and make sure that the spark containment unit wouldn't crash down into the first set of underground tunnels they were in. They allowed the excess slack in the cable to be reeled back in and then again lower slowly. Silverbolt and Grease then added their strength to help lower it onto the floor of the tunnel they were in under the street. Once that was done, they waited a few moments to see if that level would support the sparks. If not, they would have a disaster. No disaster came, however.

"It's holding," Silverbolt reported into his radio, "I repeat, it's holding."

Above them, Optimus and Rhinox shared sighs of relief.

"One task done," Rhinox commented.

"A lot more still to do before this mess is finally over," Optimus sighed back, "a lot is still left to be done."

Rhinox could only sigh, and nod.

**To Be Continued…**


	5. Chapter 5

Beast Wars and all characters and things related are copyright and trademark of Hasbro and Mainframe Entertainment. This work, however, is the original work of the author.

Note: This story takes place immediately after "Saving Cybertron".

A Whole New World, Chapter 5

By TVfan

**Cybertron**

"So, what do we do now?" Rhinox asked to Optimus as the spark containment unit from Omega One was loaded onto a jerry-rigged transport vehicle, which resembled a massive tank without a turret or any other weapons, "the containment unit is too big to take into the base that we've set up…"

"And with the Tripredicus Council defeated, we no longer need it," Optimus nodded, and glanced over to Queen who was talking things over with members of the resistance and some of the Predicons that they'd brought back from Earth on something, "Right now, I'd say we take it back to the old Maximal Council building… where the Maximal Elders used to run our faction."

"Queen won't like that," Rhinox commented, "and that is what I was asking you about. Thanks to the death of the Maximal Elders and the deaths of the Tripredicus Council, Cybertron has no functioning government. None of the colony leaders would accept one of the others as either our faction leader or the Predicon faction leader… and you know that Queen will never accept anything that doesn't put her on top."

"We don't know that," Optimus said in a slightly optimistic voice, "we could get lucky."

"She's argued with you at every opportunity over strategy and tactics, Optimus," Rhinox warned him, "She's tried to make you bow to her. She isn't like Dinobot whose code of honor has made him perfectly comfortable with not only following Maximal leadership but BEING a Maximal. She isn't like Blackarachnia who surprised us all for falling in love with Silverbolt."

Optimus glanced at Queen again, and then sighed.

"So, I guess governing Cybertron is the next big thing," Optimus sighed.

"Yes and what will you do?" Rhinox asked.

"We'll try to negotiate, Rhinox," Optimus answered, "you and I both know that we can't just keep living in a divided society… Autobots versus Decepticons, Maximals versus Predicons. We'll try to see if Queen would bring the Predicons into a new government… or at least into a new meeting to establish a government…"

Rhinox didn't say anything.

"In the meantime, if you can run some scans into the sparks and see if we can get any hit as to who they are, we might be able to get some help in this," Optimus instructed.

"Of course," Rhinox nodded.

Not that far away, Queen was engaged in her own discussion for the plans for Cybertron's future.

"So, what will we do now?" Bomb asked, "The Tripredicus Council is gone and the sparks are now safely on Cybertron where we can look after them…"

"We'll probably need to take Omega One back into space," Queen answered, "If only to spare what is rightfully our throne world."

"Throne world?" Runner asked, "That isn't what I volunteered to fight for."

"Did you agree to serve me or did you not?" Queen demanded.

"I did, but that was to overthrow a group trying to kill us all," Runner answered, "not make you queen of Cybertron."

Queen gave the Thompson's gazelle transformer a very angry look.

"Look, Queen, I agree that the Maximal Elders should have done more to try and include Predicons in the governing of Cybertron, but at the same time, Predicons need to get over the fact that they LOST the Great War and don't get to rule Cybertron without question," Runner explained, "and you should know full well that Optimus Primal will not allow you to replace the Tripredicus Council with yourself. If you push him, he will fight you."

That made Queen sigh heavily. She glanced over to the Maximal leader, who was conversing with Rhinox about something. He was strong and powerful Maximal bot. His size and the pounding he had taken in various battles against the Tripredicus Council had proved that. He had won his private war against Megatron on Earth, and despite her private hatred of the defeated Predicon tyrant, she did respect Megatron's own strength and some of his skills at plotting things. The Beast Wars, as the transformers that had returned to Cybertron referred to them had to have been some conflict.

"He could be so much more," Queen thought to herself as she looked to the Maximal leader.

"Queen! Queen!" she heard Virox practically screaming in her ear.

"Sorry, I was distracted for a moment, what did you ask?" Queen looked to him.

"I was asking if you wanted Primal taken care of. Some of Megatron's followers have agreed to follow you," Virox answered, "we could take him down."

"No," Queen answered, "we won't start a war with Primal and his Maximals. Need I remind you that one of our faction's greatest warriors defected to Optimus's side in their Beast Wars, and will likely continue to serve Optimus Primal…"

"But…" Bomb began to protest.

"We have earned a seat at the table," Queen spoke, "after all; we did help bring down the Tripredicus Council and defeat Druyd. We've earned the right a seat at the table…"

She then turned to Runner.

"Perhaps Primal will accept that and grant us that place," Queen then finished.

"That is all I would ask for, Queen," Runner spoke, "If successful, there will be no more wars… not between transformers anyway."

Queen glanced back to Optimus again and nodded.

**Omega One**

On Omega One, Rattrap and Blackarachnia busied themselves with preparing the massive station for its return to space. The transmetal rat had been doing some diagnostic scans of the station, and found there were a great many components that could be used for the rebuilding of Cybertron, but they were all thankfully things that could be disassembled and transported in smaller craft like the Liberator.

"You know," Blackarachnia commented off hand, "it'd be a shame to take this whole place apart. It could easily be modified… to serve a new purpose…"

"Like what?" Rattrap asked, "All the Tripredicus Council built it to be is a body for Unicron, which we all know they will never get now."

"True, but you could use it as an observatory, as a ship base, or as a fortification for Cybertron," Blackarachnia answered, "after all our troubles with the Vok, wouldn't you agree that we'd need something that could hold them off?"

"They seemed to only have interest in prehistoric Earth," Rattrap answered, "we ain't there no more, and we beat them good."

"Doesn't mean they can't return," Blackarachnia reminded him, "or get some otherworldly revenge."

"Way to ruin a good mood," Rattrap grumbled, "Not even Chopperface would do that."

Blackarachnia didn't touch the subject. Rattrap and Dinobot seemed to have a fairly close friendship, no matter how much they bickered, and it wasn't like she could use it against either, since she had Silverbolt. She then sighed and moved over to one of the other panels. The two of them were presently assigned to keep track of things and make sure that Omega One wouldn't crash into Cybertron's surface. So far that wasn't a threat, yet.

"So, what will you do now that everything is startin' ta quiet down?" Rattrap wondered, "You and Silverbolt gonna ride off into to the sunset… or are you gonna ride him into the sunset like he was a wolf-like Pegasus?"

"Do you ever do anything quietly?" Blackarachnia demanded, "What I do with Silverbolt is MY business."

"Sorry," Rattrap grumbled, "just making conversation."

"Besides, we're a long way from being close to done," Blackarachnia answered, "The Tripredicus Council may be gone… Remember that Queen helped them come to power before learning that the Tripredicus was sacrificing transformers to recreate Unicron. And she is still a Predicon. She won't accept anything where she isn't on top… and if that means setting up more years of tension while waiting to get the numbers or the opportunity to try and take over Cybertron again…"

"And how would you know that?" Rattrap asked.

"Because if I were in her position, that is what I would do," Blackarachnia answered.

Rattrap only gave a slight gulp. He wasn't able to respond any further when his radio activated.

"Rattrap, Blackarachnia, what is our situation?" came Optimus's voice over the radio.

"We got about a megacycle and a half before we need to return Omega One to space," Rattrap answered, "what's the situation down there?"

"The others are getting ready to take the sparks back to the Maximal Elder's Council Chamber building," Optimus answered, "Queen and I are returning to Omega One."

"Right," Rattrap answered, "we'll be ready."

Outside the station and flying above the spark containment unit as it began to roll back toward Cybertron's capital city, Tigerhawk and Airazor were in a very different conversation. It didn't dwell on the political future of Cybertron, but it was a fairly serious discussion.

"It spoke to you?" Airazor asked, "The Matrix or the Oracle spoke to you?"

"The Oracle," Tigerhawk answered.

Airazor quietly flew along beside him for a few moments. This all reminded her of the discussion that the two of them had had after the defeat of the Vok on Earth. She knew that Tigerhawk had a deep love for Earth's natural beauty and that Cyberton's mechanical systems would not appeal to him, but that conversation had revealed a great deal of the philosophical side of the transmetal two fuzor.

"What did it say?" Airazor asked him, "something about destinies right?"

"No," Tigerhawk shook his head, "more about what it wanted for Cybertron."

"What it wants?" Airazor wondered, "But wouldn't it have brought back Unicron for Druyd?"

"Only as part of Druyd's deal with it," Tigerhawk answered as he flew along, "which seemed to be hard for Tripredicus follower to reach and got harder with every transformer destroyed by their war… as if the Oracle didn't want the deal to go through."

"I find it hard to believe that a system… being… that is akin to the human's concept of God to Cybertonians would accept such a deal under any conditions," Airazor commented.

Tigerhawk sighed, "From the feeling that I got, it was not quite as absolute as the human's God or Gods… powerful to operate and protect our connections to the Matrix, but that is about it…"

"So, what did it want?" Airazor answered.

"Ultimately, it wants us to find a compromise between organics and technological," Tigerhawk answered, "not entirely organic, but not entirely inorganic either."

Airazor looked out at the city blocks below them. They were high enough up that her optics could see miles further than any other Maximal. The fact that her beast mode was a Peregrine Falcon didn't hurt her either. Cyberton seemed to be a maze of squares and rectangles of varying shapes to represent offices, factories, storehouses, bases, spaceports, and other technological based ideas of entertainment. And while she did not have as strong a love for Earth's natural landscape as Tigerhawk, she did see some value in it.

There was beauty in Earth's land forms. It had beauty that Cybertron didn't presently have, but might have had once. The caves they had found were a sign that at one point, Cybertron had to have been an organic living world, like Earth. Airazor theorized that maybe what the Oracle wanted was to try and restore some of Cybertron's past to Cybertron, and that didn't seem like a bad idea to her. After all, their beast and robot modes were a combination of organic and inorganic. Maybe the same could be done with Cybertron and the planet could be remade for both.

"I'll help you, Tigerhawk," Airazor told him, "you know that."

"That's why I told you," Tigerhawk nodded, "because I feel I will need your help."

**Below Them**

Cheetor meanwhile rode on the massive tank with Rhinox as they made their way back toward the capital city. The transmetal two Cheetah felt triumphant that the last of the Tripredicus Council's threats to Cybertron, and he felt that since Queen hadn't started an outright civil war between them while fighting the Tripredicus Council, Cheetor felt that they could work out a deal that would work. The thing that concerned him the most was where they were taking the sparks.

"Not that the Maximal Elders Council Building is bad for symbolism, Rhinox, but wouldn't we be better served to try and find one of the protoform factories?" Cheetor wondered, "The Tripredicus Council couldn't have destroyed them all… not to mention that the Council building has been badly damaged from when the Predicons took over Cybertron."

"A good many buildings appear to have been damaged in the course of this war," Rhinox answered, "More so than in the Great War because of the guerilla nature of the war the resistance and we had to fight against the Tripredicus Council… We'll need to rebuild the whole planet, which will probably only come when we can get our governmental affairs in order. And the Council Chamber building at least seemed to still have power when we arrived…"

"But the sparks will need protoforms… and probably animal DNA for a beast mode to combat the effects of the translock virus the Tripredicus Council used," Cheetor pointed out.

Rhinox gave a heavy sigh and looked out over the landscape as the cobbled together transport vehicle rumbled along. He had enjoyed his time on Earth, and he would agree with Tigerhawk that Earth's ecology was beautiful to the optics, BUT Cybertron was supposed to be for machines. If Cybertron became a copy of Earth, how special would Earth be? Many Maximals went to Earth for just that purpose, and it helped Earth's economies when Cybertronians came as tourists to see what they couldn't see on Cybertron. The fact that their beast modes were still necessary on Cybertron was a destruction of what Cybertron was.

"That will all take time," Rhinox sighed, "and Council Chamber Building still has power to use. The spark containment unit has only a limited battery supply for while it's outside of Omega One. We can link it to the Council Chamber and at least keep it active to preserve the sparks while the rest of the work is done… Besides, we'll need access to some scanning equipment that is not available to try and identify the individuals in the spark containment unit… and then trying to see if we can activate the ones who can help first."

"You'll activate all of the Predicons first, and you'll put them into the strongest possible Beast Modes!" Terrorsaur squawked from above them, but low enough in altitude that he had overheard.

"The factions will all be at random," Rhinox said firmly and made some gestures toward Cheetor, Dinobot, and Depthcharge to let the pterosaur transformer know that he wouldn't be allowed to just bully his way into power, either for himself or for Queen.

Terrorsaur grumbled something slowly and gained a little altitude. As he moved away, Rhinox only looked ahead sighed. Things that were coming were not going to be easy. From his position on the other side of the spark containment unit, Repair spoke up.

"Don't worry," Repair spoke, "we can help set things up."

**Omega One**

Optimus and Queen returned to the control center to find Rattrap and Blackarachnia waiting for them.

"Are we ready to go?" Rattrap asked as the Maximal and resistance leader approached.

"Yes," Queen nodded, and then commanded, "Take us into space, and set Omega One's orbit to be the same one the Tripredicus Council had it on. We can discuss what do with it once its weight is no longer a threat to Cybertron."

"Yeah, yeah," Rattrap nodded.

Optimus stood quietly as he could feel Omega One's engines come to life. He could soon feel the massive moon-sized station begin to rise into the sky in a slow ascent back into space. A couple of the camera screens that was available for them to actively pilot the station without having to have the main bridge in an exposed area that could be easily targeted.

"You know, I wonder why the Tripredicus Council even combined all the control centers into one area," Queen commented to him, "I mean, the spark containment unit was here, the stations main functions were here, the main 'control' was here, yet this ISN'T where Unicron's spark would have been."

"I don't think that fully matters now," Optimus answered.

"No…" Queen said slowly, "No, it doesn't… but I'd still wonder… they're all dependent on cameras and so forth. Suppose Druyd managed to get Omega One's PRIMARY weapons online… He'd have a weapon that could really do damage, but he could be potentially blinded by anything that might obscure those cameras."

"They might have had some concern that Druyd would not have survived if Omega One was attacked by a fleet of warships and was commanding it from a more standard bridge," Optimus shrugged, "Sort of a 'bunker' idea I suppose. Both the Autobots and Decepticons used them in the Great War."

"Yes, but Omega One isn't a bunker," Queen countered, "It's a station… or a truly massive starship. Both Maximal and Predicon ships keep their bridges in an area where the captain or commander can look out. The cameras are insurance."

"I can't really say, then," Optimus sighed, and glanced to her.

Strangely she looked more curious or playful than anything else. This surprised the Maximal commander to no end.

"I would agree though, that I would prefer to look out through actual windows then being limited to screens alone," Optimus answered.

"Then let us go in search of some," Queen said firmly, "for there is MUCH we have to discuss, you and I."

Queen then slowly walked out of the command center. Optimus glanced to Blackarachnia and Rattrap, sighed and then reluctantly followed. He also decided to ignore Rattrap making fake kissing noises when he reached the door. It took a little while for them to get to a spot where they found actual windows on the station, or what looked like windows from the inside. What they would have served had they been able to activate Unicron's spark, Optimus didn't know, but wasn't going to try and fathom now. The Tripredicus Council was defeated and they would never succeed.

The windows provided Optimus with a look at Cybertron from a great height. It was true that he could probably get the same look by flying, but there was something about seeing it from Omega One that was different. Not the sight was one that he truly liked or remembered. The planet looked devastated. Not just by the rebellion against the Tripredicus Council but the attack on the Maximal Elders as well. Buildings were damaged or destroyed, and those that survived or repaired were all heavy war industry factories. The very things the Maximal faction tried to limit. The very thing he'd prefer to limit, himself.

"Not the best of sights anymore," Queen sighed from beside him.

"You've seen Cybertron from space?" Optimus asked.

"The Tripredicus Council allowed us a surprising amount of mobility," Queen answered in a slightly irritated tone, "Contrary to popular Maximal belief; we are not a bunch of bitter tyrants."

"But the bitterness is there," Optimus replied, "Otherwise you wouldn't have followed the Tripredicus Council into a war to conquer Cybertron only to learn they had no intention of letting you live."

Queen didn't answer, as she knew Optimus had her there. Predicons were raised to believe they were the rightful rulers of Cybertron and that the Maximals were oppressive tyrants because they had won the Great War. Not all of them fully believed these lessons, but that doesn't mean that they weren't taught.

"The truly sad thing, in all of this, Queen, is that NONE of this had to happen," Optimus said, "The Maximal elders offered the oldest Decepticons that remained to become Predicons, as well as the Tripredicus Council the option of joining in a democratic government, but each time, they were rejected because it didn't guarantee power for your faction. You didn't get to rule, so your faction decided not to participate…"

"And then complained when the Maximals didn't do things as we wished…" Queen said slowly.

Optimus turned to face her with some surprise. He hadn't expected that response.

"Our general histories of the Great War and the years after different from yours," Queen answered, "I know that… and after talking with some of your members… I might be inclined to think that a good many parts of them probably were written by bitter malcontents. Not tyrants, but still bitter. I'd always been lead to believe your Elders were called 'Elders' because it was a specific title. That the Maximal government was no different than the Decepticons under the original Megatron."

Queen then looked out the window as well, trying to avoid Optimus's optics.

"It never occurred to me that they were called elders because they were old," Queen finished, "and so… yes, I followed the Tripredicus Council before even Predicons began falling under their rule."

"Which was a mistake," Optimus reminded.

"Yes," Queen grumbled, irritated that he wouldn't let her finish her attempt to at least explain her position or her mistake, "we made a mistake, are you glad to hear that?"

"No," Optimus answered, "It saddens me that things have gone the way they have and that Maximal and Predicon relations have been as they have."

Queen was silent for a moment.

"And most Maximals would in general agree," Optimus finished.

There was a short and awkward silence as the two looked out of the window, to see that Omega One was now making its way into the space around Cybertron. Again, the signs of damage from the wars were evident, and again both the resistance and Maximal leaders sighed.

"You could have been so much more, Optimus Primal," Queen said more formally, "More than a ship captain. More than just some explorer."

"Being a 'king' was never my goal in life," Optimus replied.

"Maybe… but you are strong and something makes me believe that you would offer my faction the chance to be more than just a 'present minority' again," Queen spoke, "You may be right when you say the Maximal Elders offered it to the Predicons… but you and I both know that they quit trying… letting those on my side that didn't know any better to follow those that were exceedingly bitter and vengeful, like Megatron, or deceitful like the Tripredicus Council. You could have helped right a lot of wrongs."

"Maybe… maybe not," Optimus answered, "You know full well that I will never accept any Predicon tyranny or monarchy… but you and I also know that my side has made mistakes as well. We created Protoform X out of fear of Starscream. We ultimately DID quit trying to bring your faction into Cybertron's government… and I was never that high ranking. Despite my name, I am not a descendent of Optimus Prime."

"Isn't Optimus a title among Maximals?" Queen wondered.

"It can be, in honor of Optimus Prime's service, but it isn't a high rank," Optimus sighed, "it's essentially the rank of a ship captain. This is all I am officially."

"You are more than that," Queen answered, "With the Tripredicus Council gone, and Megatron wanted for treason… I am the highest ranking Predicon and the leader of the Predicon Alliance. As such, you are the ONLY Maximal representative I will consider or recognize as the leader of the Maximal faction."

Queen then began to buzz her wings so that she rose up to where her head was equal to Optimus's.

"You beat Megatron, you helped me defeat the Tripredicus Council," Queen continued, "Now is your chance to make things better. Right the wrongs and put an end to the wars between our factions."

"That will all depend on whether or not you will accept democracy and majority rule," Optimus answered, "I'm more than willing to bring the Predicons into a united government. But I will not be a king."

"Maybe not officially," Queen answered, "but if a united government is to work, something symbolic, at least will have to be done."

"And what would that…" Optimus began to reply, turning his head to find his lips meeting Queen's.

**Cybertron**

Rhinox sighed as they came to a stop over the wrecked and heavily damaged building where the Maximal Elders had once run the Maximal and thus Cybertron's government. Wired and Cheetor were presently setting up the wires and controls that would be needed to keep the Spark Containment Unit running for longer than its battery systems allowed for.

"How do you suppose the Tripredicus Council kept this thing functioning on Omega One?" Spine asked, "If it has a battery, which means it couldn't have been hooked up to the central power core for the station… right?"

Rhinox shook his head to the Predicon transformer, "No, it probably was hooked up to the station's central power core. The battery it has to be a backup in case something went wrong…"

"How could anything go wrong on a station the size of a moon?" Terrorsaur questioned, "Not even the entire Predicon or Maximal war fleets could have destroyed that station in a direct confrontation. Either its shields would have been too much, or its weapons would have blasted us to smithereens."

"One can never tell," Rhinox sighed and looked up to wrecked Council Chambers Building, "I'm certain the Maximal Elders never foresaw the attack on them and the complete destruction of their leadership of the Maximals."

"Or how the Tripredicus Council never Maximal and Predicon fighting together to fight them," Grease chuckled.

Rhinox nodded to that. The resistance against them was proof that the various factions had the capacity to put their differences aside, but he also knew that it and almost every other time that had happened, it ended in the civil wars resuming. Optimus and Megatron had allied to stop the threat posed by the Vok, twice. And after each brief alliance, the Beast Wars resumed. The Autobots and Decepticons had allied to fight Unicron, and then resumed the Great War. Things could very well fall back into a resumption of the factional wars that went on between those that believed in what each faction believed was good which was bad.

"All the more reason to build a new Cybertron," came Tigerhawk's voice as he and Airazor landed in front of him, "make something that holds both together and doesn't remind either side of the past… the Maximals of the worst of the wrongs they faced. The tyranny of Megatron and the deviousness of Tarantulus or Starscream are prime examples. The Predcons' resentment of the inequities they felt they faced after the Great War was another thing that Rhinox knew would be there. That was entirely self-inflicted, but most Predicons didn't know that. The Predicon Alliance was had been a tyranny over itself as much as it wished to be a tyranny over all Cybertron. The Tripredicus Council only allowed the history they wanted taught to be taught… we can't just go back to the old ways."

"And what would be the new way?" Waspinator buzzed.

"Knowing Optimus, he will likely offer Queen the same thing that was offered to the Decepticons/Predicons at the end of the Great War," Dinobot commented as he and Rapther approached.

Rhinox nodded to the two raptor transformers. Optimus would surely offer that. Optimus was a powerful warrior and an excellent leader, Rhinox knew that, but he also knew that Optimus was a true Maximal. A democratic government would be a must for the future government, but he would try to make sure the Predicons were not excluded. But, for the time being, the form of Cybertron's government wasn't going to be settled any time soon. They still had to get the sparks into bodies and likely get them outfitted with beast modes. For the moment, though, he returned his attention to Tigerhawk and Airazor.

"And what would this new Cybertron be, Tigerhawk?" Rhinox asked, "are you talking politics or…"

"I was referring more to the appearance of Cybertron," Tigerhawk answered, "Though there are some things that I need to research into to figure out how accomplishing this could be done."

This actually intrigued Rhinox and many of the other transformers in the area.

"Wouldn't all the factories, living spaces, and attractions just be rebuilt?" Virox questioned as he approached.

"More than that," Tigerhawk answered, "A way to make it more…"

"Organic?" Rhinox asked suspiciously.

"Mixed organic and technological," Airazor spoke up, "Just as we are in a way."

"But we are as we are because of prehistoric Earth's massive energon fields and the transformation lock virus the Tripredicus Council unleashed on Cybertron," Rhinox pointed out, "without it, most would go back to a vehicle based alternate mode."

"We cannot change the past, Rhinox," Tigerhawk answered, "we are as we are."

"And maybe the introduction of some sort of 'techno-organic' ecosystem would cleanse Cybertron of the transformation lock virus by filtering it out of the air," Airazor commented, "just as our scientists found that Earth's plants generally do with the ill effects Earth's industries have had on it…"

"That would all be long term, though," Rhinox reminded both of them, "and Earth's ecology has generally suffered through the process."

"But if it mixes organics and technological things," Squeak mused, "Couldn't we engineer the plants to carry a filter that would collect and store the virus without being ill affected by it?"

That actually made Rhinox rub his chin as he began to think over it. The last thing he wanted was an organic Cybertron, but that idea did have some merit. The virus that had been unleashed could not be filtered out by pure technological means. It either infected the filter and then spread again or broke into almost semi-sentient state and moved away before it could be collected. It was one of the reasons that the virus was outlawed at the end of the Great War. It wasn't a solution he liked, but it might be the only one that could restore a technological Cybertron.

"How do you plan to do this?" Rhinox asked to Tigerhawk and Airazor.

"We don't know yet," Tigerhawk admitted, "we might need to transport soil and material from Earth or other organic planets to set up a new ecology and experiment with how to combine our technology with it… but that is one option."

"And what would be the other?" Terrorsaur questioned.

"An unknown," Airazor answered, "we have found the caves underneath all the tunnels of Cybertron. That proves that Cybertron was not ALWAYS a technological planet. It was at one point an organic world that became technological…"

"And that would mean that at one point our world was at the point you want to take us to?" Rhinox asked, "a mixture of organic and technological?"

"While in the process of becoming technological," Tigerhawk nodded, "There are legends of the Key to Vector Sigma and things related to the Matrix and the Oracle. The caves are a sign of organic life or at least of an organic structure. If fully explored, we might be able to find some clues about the path and figure out a way to balance things…"

Rhinox slowly nodded, "Go on and take a look. If it can present us with a way to remove the virus, we'll all take it."

Tigerhawk and Airazor nodded and moved off.

"We will be going to make sure that Megatron and the other prisoners have not escaped," Dinobot spoke to Rhinox and then moved off with Airazor following.

Things were changing, and all of the transformers there seemed to know it. How Cybertron would mix technology and organics was an unknown, but everyone seemed to have the sense that something that would enable it was coming.

**Above Cybertron**

The space around Cybertron was quiet as the Maximal exploration ship that had been on Vegatas came out of trans-warp space. It was of a different design from the Axalon, but like the Axalon, its weapons were predominantly defensive and wouldn't do well in a true fight. On the bridge of the ship the captain and commander of the exploration mission looked out at the planet she called home and the space around it. She was utterly surprised by what she saw. Cybertron didn't look too differently from space, but there was enough visible damage there to indicate that there had been fighting there as well. On top of it, she also saw the remains of the weapons satellites that the Tripredicus Council had put in orbit around the planet. And dominating the viewer was a large moon shaped object rising into a high orbit with what looked like engines pushing it.

"I can't believe it," a bot at one of the piloting stations gasped, "those drones attacked Cybertron, too!"

"They must of have had a hard go of it," another bot commented, "They destroyed a lot of their weapons when they attacked Cybertron."

"It would appear that they still succeeded in taking over the planet," the captain answered, "if that 'moon' is a sign of anything."

"What shall we do, captain?" another femmebot asked from the back door of the bridge, "we only just held off their drones and our survival only came from the fact that they all went offline…"

"Which we're still trying to figure out," the first bot added, "obviously someone turned them off, but who and why?"

"I'd still like to know who set this all in motion in the first place," the captain answered, "those drones carried Predicon insignia. They attacked us. And all we were a science colony. No arms, no colonists, and Vegatas had no known raw materials that would be beneficial for Cybertronians of either faction."

"Only because it was newly mapped, captain," the second bot answered, "we were there to map it and determine its wildlife and conduct experiments to see what might be there."

"And the Predicons attacked us," the captain grumbled, "and then fell silent. We're now entitled to some answers."

The two bots looked to each other and then nodded. Though one then turned to the captain.

"Ma'am, if the Predicons attacked us, why would they have attacked Cybertron from space?" the first bot asked, "The Tripredicus Council has its own headquarters on Cybertron."

"Maybe the debris is some satellite designed to keep other Maximals from coming to Cybertron's rescue," the other femmebot spoke up.

"Then who destroyed them?" the second bot wondered.

"The relief force, maybe," the femmebot replied, "I don't know."

"That's the problem," the captain sighed, "none of us do. Can you detect anything on the planet's surface?"

"Sure," the first bot answered and slid his chair along a trench in the floor to another panel away the pilot's position.

As an exploration ship, the ship had scanning equipment that far outranged any warship, like the Liberator, and could scan things down to the smallest possible detail. This gave the exploration of systems and planets some measure of safety in case there were native animals that could attack transformers or if there were specific conditions that would be hazardous. The bot activated the ship's scanners and began to scan the planet's surface.

"Anything?" the captain asked.

"Well… the planet is for the most part deserted," the bot answered, "I am detecting some sparks, but they are all in the capital city…"

"Faction?" the captain asked.

"Can't tell from this distance," the bot replied, "neither can I truly count how many. I'm getting a vague shimmer of where they are, but not much more."

"Good to know they weren't wiped out," the other bot commented.

"What about the situation on the surface?" the captain asked.

"It isn't totally destroyed, but it's extensive enough that the planet will need massive rebuilding," the first bot answered, "which will be difficult, as the planet is swimming in the Trans-lock 9000 virus."

"But that would destroy any vehicle mode a transformer has!" the captain gasped.

"Or their robot mode if they're already in vehicle mode," the other bot added, "and has been impossible to remove from the few planets where it was used during the Great War."

"So we can't go home?" the other femmebot asked.

"I don't think we're banned from going home… but we'll need a more organic based alternate mode," the second bot answered.

"Organic?" the captain asked.

"It's a theory of mine, ma'am," the second bot replied, "if the virus targets vehicular modes, wouldn't a plant or animal based alternate mode protect the transformer?"

"Do we still have the plant DNA samples from Vegatas?" the captain asked.

"Yes, ma'am," the second bot nodded.

"Take all that you need and program the genetic patterns into the CR Chambers," the captain instructed, "We'll take plant modes to protect ourselves from the virus."

"IF this theory works," the first bot pointed out.

"It's all we have at the moment," the captain said back.

"Right away, ma'am," the second bot answered and left his seat.

The captain meanwhile kept her attention on the first bot, while the other femmebot moved to take the position the other bot had been in.

"Now, scan that moon," the captain ordered, "It has an engine. I'll bet you my spark that THAT is responsible for the attack on Cybertron."

The first bot turned the scanners toward the moon sized station.

"There are transformers there," the first bot spoke, "but not many… the spark energies seem lower…"

"So we can talk to them?" the femmebot asked.

"That depends on whether or not they want to answer any hail," the first bot replied.

"Set us on a course to come along side," the captain answered, "did you detect the Trans-lock 9000 there?"

"No, but it probably wouldn't hurt to be prepared," the bot answered.

"Set us on a course to come alongside, even if it's on autopilot," the captain instructed, "we'll have our new alternate modes ready when we board. And we will get answers."

"What if they fight?" the femmebot asked nervously.

"We'll have to be careful," the captain answered, "but we must get answers."

**To Be Continued…**


	6. Chapter 6

Beast Wars and all characters and things related are copyright and trademark of Hasbro and Mainframe Entertainment. This work, however, is the original work of the author.

Note: This story takes place immediately after "Saving Cybertron".

A Whole New World, Chapter 6

By TVfan

**Omega One**

In the control center for the station, Rattrap and Blackarachnia found themselves largely on monitor duty to defend Cybertron. The Tripredicus Council was gone and Omega One would not be kept active forever, but for the moment, they would need it to preserve Cybertron's freedom in case there were any holdouts that decided to come back and attack them. And for the moment that left Rattrap somewhat bored and he began flipping through the various security screens. As he went, eventually came across something that surprised him a little.

"What the?" Rattrap gasped in surprise at what he saw on the screen.

"Dare I ask what 'what the' means?" Blackarachnia asked from her seat.

"It's either odd politics or Optimus has made quite an impression on Queen," Rattrap reported.

Blackarachnia shuffled over and looked over Rattrap's shoulder. The transmetal rat grumbled and complained about things, but he did provide enough information on what was going on. It wasn't always good, but getting ANY information was always good. Not to mention that while Blackarachnia had kept herself as a Predicon, officially, she had actually come to trust Optimus Primal and didn't fully trust Queen. After all, Queen didn't turn on the Tripredicus Council until after it was obviously clear that she wasn't benefitting from their victory.

What the transmetal two spider saw on the screen made her optics widen in surprise, just as it had Rattrap's. Queen's wings were buzzing enough to lift her up to Optimus's face and the resistance leader was proceeding to kiss the Maximal leader. It was a great surprise, as the two had seemed to squabble over a great many issues, many of which related how the war against the Tripredicus Council was to be waged.

"What is she up to?" Blackarachnia wondered.

"Might be a good idea to go and investigate," Rattrap commented.

Blackarachnia nodded in agreement when a pulsing alarm went off making her turn to her screens, which had not been set to follow the security cameras inside Omega One. This screens showed a lone spacecraft approaching them. It looked more like a science vessel than a warship, which likely meant it was a Maximal ship, but Omega One had been built to become a new body for Unicron. There was no way of knowing what they would do when they arrived.

"Best to warn them that we're about to have company," Blackarachnia answered, "Get going."

Optimus Primal, captain of the Maximal ship Axalon and victor of the Beast Wars, was far more surprised by what Queen had done than either Rattrap or Blackarachnia could ever hope to be. He eventually pushed back against her advances and moved her away from him slightly. He and Queen had argued over the strategies and tactics to take on fighting the Tripredicus Council and he never expected her to actually kiss him.

"Queen!" Optimus said in complete surprise, "What… what is the meaning of this?"

Queen buzzed a bit on her wings.

"Some of it is attraction, Optimus Primal," Queen replied, "You are a strong and fit bot. You are brave and quite cunning. All the qualities of a great warrior."

"I am not a warrior," Optimus answered, "I'm a scientist and explorer."

"Who defeated Megatron in war and helped defeat the Tripredicus Council," Queen answered, "Megatron may have gone rogue and may have nothing but megalomania in his spark, but he was at the top of his class within the Predicon Alliance's military academy."

"And you're suddenly attracted to me because I've proved to you that I can defend what is right… or at least what I think is right?" Optimus questioned.

"Not suddenly," Queen answered back defensively, "I've had great respect for you for quite a while… regardless of our specific differences."

Optimus glared at her for a moment, but didn't say anything. The move was a surprise and he had no expectation of it. Queen was not necessarily an unattractive femme-bot, but Optimus had long felt a great sense of mission. First it was to defeat Megatron and then to stop the Tripredicus Council. As such he'd never allowed for any thoughts toward any sort romantic relationship, though the fact that the Axalon had a largely male crew did not render the possibility of it to be likely.

As he tried to put together his thoughts, Queen continued with her answer.

"And there are also political concerns to be had," Queen answered, "You should know by now that I am NOT Megatron. I won't risk losing everything I have just so that I could gain everything. If I tried… your veterans of the Beast Wars would surely crush any attempt and the Predicons will go back to being second class citizens…"

"I wouldn't…" Optimus began.

"I know YOU wouldn't," Queen cut him, "I have observed you closely… and you are Maximal who's word I can trust. You haven't given up or let overly patriotic Autobot histories of the Great War cloud your judgment… but that doesn't mean that your followers will agree with you."

Queen then landed and turned her back to him.

"You want peace for Cybertron? You want an end to the wars?" Queen asked, "The only way will be through some move for unity. I was too blind to old prejudices to notice the threat that the Tripredicus Council posed and some Maximals will remember Megatron's schemes and the actions of his namesake."

Optimus sighed and rubbed his head for a moment.

"I'm all for unity, but it must be democratic," Optimus answered, "I won't be some king and force the Maximals to work with you, and you should know full well that there will be Predicons that will oppose you if you force it on them."

"The Predicons will follow me for leading the Resistance to the Tripredicus Council," Queen dismissed it, "and the Maximals may very well follow you for your name alone. We are conveniently placed to shape the future… and that is where a union between us would symbolize a new future."

Optimus sighed heavily as he had no idea as to where this was headed. Queen's romantic attention was a surprise, and even if it was real, it was also clear that her personal ambition was still there. He wanted to try and get some answers as to what she really intended when he heard footsteps and saw Rattrap come running around a corner.

"I hate break up your little smooch fest, but we got a ship coming in," Rattrap reported, "and it's headed straight for the station."

And the day just kept getting better and better.

**Cybertron, Resistance Base Caves**

Dinobot and Rapther returned quietly to the caves that they had taken over as their main base when they had arrived on Cyberton. To those like Tigerhawk, it would probably symbolize some hope for a more organic world, to Dinobot it was merely a base. A place from which to carry on the campaign. With the war over, it was likely there would be no more campaigning. It gave the transmetal two transformer some private ponderings over what would happen to him, but even those thoughts were not at the front of his mind at the moment. At the moment, he and Rapther had volunteered to guard their prisoners from the last conflicts.

They were found in their cell, a small side cavern from the others restrained and seated where they were.

"And so the traitor returns," Megatron glared at him as he approached, "are you that fearful that I will escape?"

Dinobot didn't answer.

"I would have thought that you'd overconfidently feel that all of this was over and that you'd won," Megatron said with a chuckle.

"We stopped you," Rapther argued, "You won't be ruling Cybertron anytime soon."

"The Royalty WILL triumph!" Inferno vowed, struggling against his restraints, and failing to do so. Rapther managed to remain firm when Inferno's struggling send him toppling onto his side.

"Whether or not I rule Cybertron is not the issue," Megatron shrugged, ignoring Inferno completely, "Dinobot is a warrior, and a great one. It's why I wanted him on my team when I stole the Golden Disks. He would have the skills needed ensure that the Great War was avenged and I rule Cybertron in the name of my predecessor."

Rapther narrowed her optics while she heard a low snarl escape Dinobot's lips.

"And had he remained loyal… he would have always had opportunities to exercise his skills as a warrior," Megatron continued, "after all… I would need someone to lead the conquests of new worlds… and fools like Scorpinok and schemers like Tarantulus could never be trusted…"

"And if you had an ounce of honor, I might have kept following you," Dinobot admitted, "but you are nothing more than a tyrant who doesn't care about how he wins battles."

"Honor is an overrated concept," Starscream challenged from where he was seated; only making Dinobot snarl again. To that, Starscream actually laughed, "Heh… heh… hit a nerve, didn't I?"

Dinobot only snarled again and turned away from the Predicon prisoners from the Beast Wars that wouldn't follow Queen and the transformers that followed the Tripredicus Council that survived the final battle. When he reached the edge of the opening to that section of the cave, he glanced over his shoulder, so that his monocle optic could look toward the chained transmetal two dragon transformer that was Megatron. Megatron noticed and glared defiantly back. Dinobot even noticed a hint of triumph on the deposed tyrant's face.

"We'll bring you food shortly," Dinobot answered and then moved away.

Rapther followed him with her optics for a moment, turned to Megatron gave a snarling hiss and then turned to leave. Dinobot had gone to a different small cave where several sealed crates were stacked in a small pyramid. It contained stable energon cubes that all Cybertronians fed on normally. Rapther had noticed since Dinobot had activated her, that she could actually survive on food that wasn't 'Cybertronian.' Both she and Dinobot could hunt and gain energy that way and seemingly at no loss of overall power. It was quite possibly another surprise that the Beast Wars had brought onto Cybertron with regard to the other changes that were coming, but that wasn't the present issue. The present issue was dealing with their prisoners.

"We ought to focus on putting together a prison that can hold them," Dinobot snarled as he moved the energon cubes to feed their prisoners onto a series of trays, "forget turning Cybertron into a new 'Earth' until after we've made sure that Megatron is either safely incarcerated or controlled…"

"You think he will escape?" Rapther asked.

"As it is, that is a possibility, though not likely," Dinobot answered, irritation clearly in his voice, "As it is… I do not like being a prison guard… in that Megatron was right."

"There will always be some threat some unknown entity or someone else to protect," Rapther answered.

"I know that," Dinobot answered, almost sounding irritated, and then gave a groaning sigh, "but that won't be likely while guarding them…"

Rapther only shook her head sighed. No one liked Megatron, outside of maybe Inferno in some strange way, but she doubted that anyone would wish him dead. They would have to be guards from time to time, especially while it looked like Cybertron was in the middle of a transition into an unknown future. And even if a new prison was built, some bot would be needed to guard the prisoners within it.

**Maximal Exploration Ship, in route to Omega One**

The captain of the science vessel watched carefully as the massive station grew bigger and bigger as the ship approached it. Radio traffic was silent, but they could still detect four spark signatures onboard. It only raised further questions for her, as there was no station like this above Cybertron when their ship left for Vegatas, and given the attacks that had been made on them there, the massive station only made her suspicious.

"I'm ready to resume my duties, Captain," came the voice from the other femme-bot that was part of her ship's crew.

The Captain turned to see the newly returned femme-bot. Her body was largely a light green with thorn-like protrusions at various points on her body that looked as though they operated as additional weapons and armor for her. Her three fingered hands were surrounded by what looked like rose petals on earth. A similar wreath also surrounded her pink head with its blue optics. However, on the wreath around her head, some of the petals appeared to have the same thorns, though slightly smaller, in places on them. The captain then remembered that this was part of the plant's adaptation on Vegatas to allow them to feed on insects and even other plants that came too close. The femme-bot's plant more roots, which were a pale brown color stood on the end of the stalk behind her and seemed to even give her the added look of wearing a crown of brown roots that seemed to sway as she walked.

"You look good, Rosalon," the captain said politely, "You may resume your duties."

"Thank you, captain," Rosalon answered.

The captain returned her gaze to the station that was getting bigger and bigger on the screen. Their CR chambers had done an excellent job of synthesizing the plant DNA from Vegatas. They had been amazed by the planet when they explored it, as while it had animal life, it seemed crude and rudimentary and dominated by the plant life that lived on Vegatas. Some were immobile and stayed in one place like plants on most other worlds, but some seemed able to move, thought rather slowly. Photosynthesis was present in nearly all the plants of Vegatas, but more often than not it seemed to assist the plant in digesting either other plants or small animals that they had eaten.

However, the captain couldn't focus her mind on what they had found on Vegatas or the success of getting around the Trans-Lock virus that seemed to be infecting all of Cybertron. They had a large moon sized station in front of them that might be the headquarters of the organization that had sent the horde of drones after them. As they came closer, they noticed an open hanger that was more than large enough to accept their ship.

"I'm nervous that we haven't had any contact from them, yet," the pilot spoke nervously, "I think it's a trap."

"It very well could be," the captain gave a frustrated sigh, "but we MUST get answers. After all… if the drones came from here, why did they stop?"

The captain got no argument. She then gave the pilot the orders to land.

"Let's pull into that hanger," the captain instructed, "we'll land and begin our search on foot. Remember to stay together. We don't know WHAT is awaiting us."

On board Omega One, Optimus and Queen had returned to the main control center for the station to observe what Blackarachnia and Rattrap had found on their scanners. The ship was clearly an exploration ship by its round design and lack of weapons emplacements beyond what would be entirely defensive in nature. However, it was viewed with suspicion as they received no clear radio transmission from the ship, and its approach was at an angle that gave the indication that they were sizing Omega One up.

"I don't like this," Blackarachnia said slowly, "That is a Maximal ship, why aren't they calling to us?"

"Perhaps because we ain't callin' them!" Rattrap gave a glare toward Queen.

"Maybe, but basic procedure would be to at least try and make contact," Optimus cut Rattrap off.

"Not to mention that while they don't have much in terms of armament, all their weapons are charged," Queen added.

"Maybe because they think we're the Tripredicus Council and are makin' sure they don't get fed to Unicron!" Rattrap argued.

"Or maybe they follow the Tripredicus Council and recognize that we aren't Druyd," Queen argued back with an angry scowl on her face.

"Let's just wait and see what it is," Optimus placed a hand on Queen's shoulder and physically pulled her apart from Rattrap before something went wrong, and then added in a pleading tone, "Please…"

Both Queen and Rattrap were quiet and they resumed watching the security cameras to see what they would be dealing with before having to do anything. The ship came in and landed quietly in the same hanger where the shuttle that Optimus's present team had used to confront Druyd earlier. A hatch directly under the ship's nose then opened and a ramp descended to the floor of the hanger.

"Here they come," Rattrap said slowly as he noticed a series of shadows descend down that ramp. The transmetal rat transformer noticed something about those shadows that were somewhat surprising, but didn't say anything about that for the moment.

The shadows grew larger until four transformers came into view. Two were bots and two were femme-bots and their appearance gave all of them a great deal of surprise. It wasn't that they were transformers, but what their likely alternate modes were. They could understand vehicular or some other technological alternate mode, as was normal for Cybertronians, and they could understand animal alternate modes based off of the Beast Wars and the transformation lock virus that had been used to infect Cybertron when the Tripredicus Council took over, but these transformers were very different. In fact, their alternate modes looked as if they were plant like rather than anything else.

"They're… they're plants!" Blackarachnia spoke in surprise.

And indeed they were plant transformers. One femme-bot looked like some variation of a rose, and she was the only one that appeared to be in robot mode. The other femme-bot looked like some type of fly-trap plant, as she moved on no visible legs but rather a series of vines that worked like roots. She had two sets of arms that ended fly traps and her head looked like closed flower with eyes. One of the two bots looked like oak tree and moved on its roots which actually managed to dig into the metal of the floor as it moved. The other bot looked more like some type of fir tree and it looked more like it slithered on its long roots.

"Though they do appear to be Maximals," Queen commented, noting the Maximal insignia on the shoulder of the rose-like transformer.

"Then best to introduce ourselves then," Rattrap answered and reached for one of the intercom buttons. He pressed it and then announced, "Hello and good day to a new group of Maximals returned to the recently liberated Cybertron. Welcome to base Omega One, this is Rattrap loyal trooper for Optimus Primal if you follow the flashing lights; you'll be led to the main control center."

The others watched the new transformers jump in surprise, but they did seem to follow the instructions as Rattrap began flashing lights on and off to lead them toward the command center.

**Cybertron, Maximal Elders Building**

"We could really use Rattrap here," Squeak commented as she emerged in beast mode dragging another set of wires from within the ruined headquarters that the Maximal elders had held their meetings from.

Rhinox only sighed as the transformers worked to try and get the spark containment unit into a position where it could be powered and protected. The building was still surprisingly stable and was still connected to the main power network, which had made the Maximal Elders' Council Chambers Building the prime choice for where they would locate the sparks they had liberated. It was, after all, part of a sprawling complex of government and scientific buildings that had been the shining light of Cybertron before the Tripredicus takeover.

However, on their arrival, they'd found that doing that was a lot easier said than done. The Maximal Elders building was not built to be a headquarters or storage building and thus didn't have doors big enough to let the spark containment unit be moved in. Terrorsaur proposed blowing a hole in the wall, which all the other Predicons that were part of the Resistance immediately agreed to. That had made Rhinox sigh and look out over the landscape of Cybertron's capital city. Devastation was clearly visible and reminded the rhinoceros transformer that the Tripredicus Council had fought a brief war to take over Cybertron, and they likely didn't attack with the intention of sparing anything.

It was at that that Rhinox conceded, but on the condition that they make sure that when they opened up a passageway they didn't take out the Council Chambers' power or make it structurally unstable. If all of Cybertron was to be rebuilt, that would have to include the Council Chambers ultimately, and that would surely take time. Time that they would not get until all the sparks were back in functioning bodies and that would require a lot of work.

"We'll need to make do," Rhinox answered, "What do you have?"

"I think it's the last of the wires we'll need to plug the spark containment unit in, just in case the building can't be dismantled to bring the sparks in," Squeak answered and transformed, holding up the wires to Rhinox.

Rhinox slowly took them and looked to where Wired was already setting other wires together to create a power cable. It was slowly coming together and it wouldn't be too long before it would be ready. The issue that they likely needed Rattrap the most for though, was analyzing the stability of the Maximal Elders Council Chambers Building. Blowing a hole in it would weaken it and would surely create risks other than power outages. Scouting that out was what the others were largely working on. Doing that is what Rhinox admitted they'd need Rattrap for, but he couldn't be everywhere.

"Good," Rhinox gave a smile, "That'll show that we're making some progress."

He then moved over to Wired and handed him the set of wires that Squeak had brought. The Grey Squirrel transformer took them with a nod and began to add them into the cable.

"This should do it, Rhinox," Wired reported, "All we need is the plug that the cable will attach to."

As if on cue, Cheetor and Terrorsaur arrived on the scene after going out on a search of nearby warehouses for an electric plug that would have six prongs and four surge protectors. Both presented one of the plugs that they needed. Wired took the one in Terrorsaur's hand, to which the transmetal two pterosaur looked quite pleased with. Cheetor only shook his head at that. He'd grown up a lot during the Beast Wars and wasn't going to engage in efforts to show off.

"I suppose we'll need a spare, right?" Cheetor gave a shrug.

"Possibly," Rhinox nodded.

"So, how long until we get to blast away at the old thing?" Terrorsaur asked, sounding a bit impatient.

"A while," Rhinox answered, "We still don't know whether or not blasting holes in the building will bring it down or not."

Terrorsaur's grin changed to a frown.

"No fun," Terrorsaur responded.

Rhinox could only sigh in response and turned to look at the building they were ultimately planning on taking apart. As he watched, Cheetor came up with his own concerns and wonderings.

"So… what do you think an organic Cybertron will look like?" Cheetor wondered.

"NOT Cybertron," Rhinox replied, and then sighed again, this time drooping his shoulders down, "but we may not have much of a chance of a purely technological solution to the Trans-Lock virus that has made vehicle modes impossible…"

"But the Vehicons had vehicle modes," Virox spook up as he slithered out in beast mode and then took his robot mode.

"They likely either had a vaccine or the virus was simply engineered to effect those that weren't spawns of Unicron," Rhinox responded, "and for moment, we don't have the time to try and find a new vaccine or fully analyze the virus."

All of the gathered transformers gave heavy sighs at that.

**Omega One**

The flashing of lights was an odd way to give directions, but the Vegatas crew captain did admit that it was effective. Not that it really sat well with the others.

"I really to don't trust this Rattrap," said the Vegatas Oak transformer, "For all we know he's behind the drones that attacked us on Vegatas."

"Calm yourself, Orx," the captain replied, "If he is… we will deal with him. But he said Cybertron was liberated… This meant that Cybertron was attacked as well. And if what he said was true, that would mean that he'd have to be the one behind what stopped the drones."

"IF he told the truth," Orx reminded her.

The captain didn't argue. She was certain that Rattrap had spoken honestly, but she couldn't deny her crew the right to be suspicious. Far too much had been odd, and their present mission was to get answers. If he was lying, she felt her crew could deal with one lone villain. As they progressed, her thoughts wandered over all of these issues, though they finally came to sudden stop when they came to the last door and entered a massive spacious room that seemed to be more like a giant cylinder than anything else. However, it wasn't the room but what was in it.

There were four transformers, and they all seemed to have animal alternate modes. It gave the captain some curiosity given that her crew had plant alternate modes. One was a massive gorilla who looked like he was encased in bright and shiny gold, blue, and silver armor and had what looked like airplane wings sticking out of him at various points. He carried a strong and commanding presence along with great intelligence and kindness. Another was a rat with largely brown and silver armor, though it also looked like he had wheels for his shoulders and hips. There was an air suspicion about him that the captain noticed and recognized.

The other two were femme-bots. One looked like a spider with armor that just as shiny as the two male transformers, but also seemed to look almost organic in a way. She looked suspicious as well, but there was also to some degree a look of indifference about her. The last looked like an Earth honeybee queen, and given her look toward the Vegatas crew, the captain figured the bee transformer was trying to plot something or at least analyze them in some way. It was an odd assortment, but the captain let it be and decided to introduce herself and her crew.

"I am Botanica, Captain of the Science Vessel Journey," the captain spoke, and then addressed herself to the rat, "I trust you are… Rattrap?"

The Rattrap stood up, transformed to his robot mode and gave a short bow.

"Yes, I am Rattrap, engineer extraordinaire and all around good bot," Rattrap shook one of Botanica's fly traps as if it were a hand, "the big ape, here is Optimus Primal, Captain of the Axalon, and most likely to be the next Maximal faction leader…"

Botanica watched as Optimus shook his head while Rattrap continued to introduce the others.

"And these are two Preds that have been fighting with us against the Tripredicus Council," Rattrap continued, "Queen and Blackarachnia… Blackarachnia was actually with Optimus and the Axalon's crew in the fight against Megatron."

"The Axalon… you were the ones who went after Megatron and the Golden Disks?" Orx asked.

"Yes," Optimus said simply.

"I was actually a protoform when the Axalon went after him," Blackarachnia clarified, "I joined Megatron after activation and defected to Optimus's service when Megatron made it clear the only victory he'd tolerate was his own."

"You sided with Predicons?!" Botanica gasped in surprise.

"They attacked us on Vegatas!" Rosalon spoke up.

"Vegatas?!" Optimus asked, sounding more curious than anything else.

"Yes, Vegatas, a planet of sentient plants," Botanica answered, "I got the chance to explore it and figure out the truth of the stories about it."

She then gestured to each member of her crew.

"This is Rosalon… Orx… and this Pinbot…"

"Fascinating," Optimus spoke slowly, "You'll have to tell me about it sometime."

"Sure, after you explain why you're working WITH Predicons!" Botanica demanded pointing a fly trap at Blackarachnia and Queen, "It was Predicons that attacked us on Vegatas and nearly ruined our experiment! I bet it was Predicons that practically destroyed Cybertron!"

"I like her already," Rattrap whispered to Optimus trying to avoid being noticed.

Queen meanwhile, was not pleased with this at all. The Vegatas crew seemed too aggressive and lacking the trust that would be needed to put together a new Cybertron. She transformed to her robot mode and moved to fly above all of them. She also made sure that Botanica could see the scowl on her face.

"And Predicons also helped save Cybertron," Queen growled.

"It was the Tripredicus Council," Optimus stepped between the Vegatas captain and the Resistance leader, "They duped the Predicons and took advantage of Megatron's schemes. Queen and several Predicons have been crucial in defeating their scheme to recreate Unicron."

Botanica glanced to Queen and then turned back Optimus. She was still suspicious of Blackarachnia and fearful that the Predicons were playing some greater scheme. Vegatas was unimportant according to all basic military strategies. It was off of all major trade roots. It had no true space port. It had no manufacturing. And while the plants there were sentient, they didn't or couldn't manufacture technology. Yet they were attacked by hordes of Predicon drones. Her frown and suspicion that came from all of this was clear to see, and Blackarachnia responded to it.

"Not every Predicon is a tyrant that would rather murder everyone than do something right," Blackarachnia said slowly, "A good fight isn't necessarily a bad thing… but having to annihilate everything, as was Megatron's plan… THAT wasn't right and thus why I defected to Optimus's side."

"And since you're all here, I trust Megatron has been defeated?" Botanica questioned.

"Yes," Optimus nodded.

Botanica nodded and then moved closer to Blackarachnia.

"So why haven't you plotted your own private conquest?" Botanica questioned.

Rattrap half snickered at all of this, and especially at seeing the transmetal two spider look so defensive about things. It made for good entertainment.

"Let us just say that one of Optimus's crew has a 'Lancelot' complex that I find… VERY attractive," Blackarachnia responded, "in a whole… knight in shining armor sort of way."

That made Botanica blink in surprise. That bordered on love, which given her experiences with Predicons, albeit the Tripredicus Council's drones, had not led Botanica to believe that they could feel that emotion. It was at this, that Queen interjected herself into the discussion again.

"You see… things are quite complex," Queen spoke, "far more so than you realize or believe in."

Optimus sighed and turned and tried to motion for Queen and Blackarachnia to calm down. The Vegatas crew were Maximals that had been attacked by the Tripredicus Council and probably didn't have much protection. Trust wouldn't come quickly, though this also made Optimus realize that he might have to take on a much greater leadership role if Cybertron was to be rebuilt.

"They do speak the truth," Optimus spoke when he turned back to Botanica, "Not all Predicons are evil like Megatron and the Tripredicus Council. And to a great extent… our own faction will bear some responsibility for Predicon resentment…"

"How?" Pinbot demanded.

"When the Great War ended, the Autobots did offer the surviving Decepticons the opportunity to participate in the new democratic government," Optimus answered, "The Decepticons turned it down, but the offer always remained… but at some point, the Maximal Elders quit making the offer and just let the Predicons stew in their resentment over the Great War. We could have done a lot more to preserve peace among Cybertronians than we did."

Botanica looked to her crew and then sighed. They had endured a lot, and she did want justice for them, but she wasn't skilled with politics and she wasn't much of a warrior. Her crew's mission was a fact-finding one, pure and simple. The facts they found might not be what they expected, but they did accomplish the mission. The only thing left was to try and gain some understanding about how the Tripredicus Council took over and why the drones that had been attacking them suddenly stopped.

"So, how did the Tripredicus Council take over?" Botanica asked, in a much more reasonable tone, "and how were they defeated."

"It's a long story," Optimus answered slowly.

**Cybertron, Caves**

Meanwhile Tigerhawk and Airazor flew through the caves that they had found underneath the technological layers of Cybertron. For Tigerhawk, the mission was purely about restoring some organic life to the planet. The caves were proof that Cybertron had organic life at one point, and it was something he personally preferred to things that were so mechanical. The fact that the Oracle wanted it was merely another reason to push for it. The transmetal two fuzor really didn't understand why the Oracle had chosen him, but he decided to let that go.

"These areas are especially dark," Airazor commented as they flew along, "Makes me wish my stasis pod picked out a bat."

"There would have needed to be one nearby for it to scan," Tigerhawk gave a chuckle, "and besides…we can generate light and have the scanners needed to navigate down here… even in pitch blackness."

"Thank goodness for the tracers we've been leaving behind us," Airazor commented, "It'll allow us to map all the caves."

Tigerhawk nodded as they banked around a large series of stalactites and stalagmites. They had been diving down to map and explore more of these caves, as they might give them some idea on how to bring organic life back to Cybertron or get into the past as to how it had ceased being an organic world. So far, their dive into the caves was looking at going deeper into the planet and heading toward the core. Some of this was also beginning to perplex them both, as the dive had gone beyond what was the limit of Earth's crust, which was what they had originally pictured Cybertron being built like in the beginning.

Organic planets were built around a solid heavy metal core with a liquid metal mantle on which a crust of rock, metals, gems, and large amounts of carbon "floated." Both Tigerhawk and Airazor expected Cybertron to be the same if it truly had been an organic planet. They also expected to find the remnants of organic life that might have existed before things became technological. So far, they hadn't hit that. It was just bland rock that looked as though it was merely the repository of a great deal of water. The fact that they hadn't found anything yet began to get Tigerhawk and he began to sigh and carry a very depressed look on his face.

"I'm sure we'll find something soon," Airazor said encouragingly, "If Cybertron's geology had elements that were organic… we will find something soon."

"Not soon enough," Tigerhawk sighed and came down to land, "you know that not everyone will embrace the idea of an organic Cybertron."

"They'll get used to it," Airazor shrugged.

Tigerhawk only gave a frustrated grown and kicked a small rock that was near him. He watched as it sailed off into the darkness before hitting something metal and then bouncing into something that sounded like water.

"What was that…?" Airazor wondered.

"A clue," Tigerhawk answered, "I hope."

**To Be Continued…**


	7. Chapter 7

Beast Wars and all characters and things related are copyright and trademark of Hasbro and Mainframe Entertainment. This work, however, is the original work of the author.

Note: This story takes place immediately after "Saving Cybertron".

A Whole New World, Chapter 7

By TVfan

**Cybertron, Caves**

Tigerhawk and Airazor came forward, as they had heard two things that made what they suspected about the caves that raised some curiosity between the two Maximal transformers. They were exploring the caves that they had found underneath the known levels of Cybertron. The fact that the caves existed was a great question that they didn't have answers to, as Maximals and Predicons all carried their belief that Cybertron had always been a robotic world, or at least that any non-robotic elements were completely replaced when it became a robotic world. But the caves were organic in nature, and that would create a great deal of scientific curiosity into Cybertron's origins. That curiosity was partially why Tigerhawk and Airazor were making the journey. The rest of it was find some way of combining the technologic world Cybertron became with its organic origins.

"A clue to what?" Airazor asked to Tigerhawk as they responded to the sound of both metal and water that they heard, "The past or what could combine organics with technology?"

"Either would work," Tigerhawk answered they walked forward, relying extensively on the lights in their own optics to provide them with the light they needed.

The two moved further into the cave and over the small rise that they had kicked the small stone over. Then they saw what the source of the noise was. There was a small underground river that looked to be flowing deeper into the cave. Stalactites and Stalagmites had formed extensively in the area, and Airazor's scanners actually detected a fairly large concentration of various industrial coolants mixed in with the water.

"Such pollution," Airazor gave a sigh.

"That isn't the big thing here at the moment," Tigerhawk corrected and pointed to a figure near the edge of the water about twenty feet in front of them.

They looked and looked to see what looked like the figure of a robotic humanoid. It had a very narrow frame with a thin head and a primitive blaster in its arm. In a strange way, it looked as though it had been trying to drink from the water.

"A robot," Airazor commented, "You don't suppose this is… 'Early' transformer?"

"And acting as though it had once been an organic life form," Tigerhawk answered, "it was trying to drink…"

"But we can drink water too," Airazor answered, "in fact; it can even help us maintain our energy."

"Yes, but that's the result of our beast forms," Tigerhawk responded, "The records that Optimus had that the Autobots and Decipticons did not need food or water. If they needed some sort of coolant, they got it more like the way humans would receive blood from a donor."

Airazor walked closer to the offline robot and more closely examined it. Its torso square and box-like, but its arm and leg joints were more spherical. She also saw no sign that it had an alternate mode. If it was a transformer, it was before it could get an alternate mode or it simply hadn't received one yet. She carefully rolled it over onto its back. Its face could still display emotion and despite its efforts to drink, it also looked pained.

"We've fought each other from our very beginnings," Tigerhawk said in a semi-depressed voice as he noted structural damage to the robot's chest.

The damage looked like shocks from raw energon, as though the robot had been exposed to it in a way that would make the energon work more like some sort of whip or weapon. It made both Maximal transformers sigh heavily. It wasn't a sight they wanted to see, and it was also a sight that made them realize that trying to figure out Cybertron's past so as to reinvent its future would not bring up a lot of 'happy' facts.

"Come on," Airazor said slowly, "let's see if we can find anything else."

**Omega One**

Meanwhile on the station that had been intended to become the body for the 'resurrected' Unicron, Botanica and the Vegetas crew were not entirely pleased with the story they had heard. While the story of how the Tripredicus Council took over Cybertron as part of their plans did include a great deal deception on the part of the Tripredicus Council, it was also clear that transformers like Queen went along with it willingly. The Tripredicus Council did not need to deceive them. They followed willingly, and yet Optimus seemed quite willing to work with them. That did not set well with any of the newly arrived Maximals.

"And you would work with these villains?!" Botanica pointed an accusing arm at Queen, "She even said that the only reason that she turned on the Tripredicus Council was due to their then betraying those that were descended from the Deciptiocns."

"Not just workin' with 'em," Rattrap snickered, "He was smooching 'em too!"

"Shut up, Rattrap, you're not helping us any," Optimus answered.

"He does bring a valid point to the table, though," Orx commented, "We are Maximals. We are dedicated to a democratic and representative government style that grants equal rights for all…"

"Except Predicons," Queen shot back.

"We're more than willing to grant equal rights to them," Rosalon answered, "the issue is that Predicons believe 'equal rights' for them means that they get to rule over everyone else like some sort of petty ruler or dictator… and that every Maximal would be your slaves! Your drones attacked and took over Cybertron and attacked colonies. If this were merely a battle for equal rights, you'd have no need to attack Maximal colonies and scientific research teams. Your entire attack was aimed at our destruction…"

"And even if you do not take her as your spark-mate, Optimus Primal, the fact that you would work with someone who ranked fairly high within their command structure represents a betrayal of Maximal values and a refusal to give justice to the transformers she quite willingly helped murder," Botanica finished.

"And what would you have us do?" Optimus asked back with a sigh, "That we just keep the wars going? What about the concept of peace?"

"We're all for peace," Pinebot answered, "but at what price? Vegatas suffered a great deal of damage when their drones attacked us, and any research about the planet was contaminated because of their damage because they chose the only government they wanted was a dictatorship under their rule. How many second chances do you think they deserve?"

"And we cannot change our minds?" Queen questioned, "I'll admit that we made mistakes… but we are not going anywhere…"

"Change your minds?" Botanica asked in a skeptical tone that Rattrap found most enjoyable.

"As in agreeing to a more democratic government, so long as we are allowed to be part of it," Queen answered.

"It wouldn't be very democratic if you exclude Predicons from the government, wouldn't it?" Blackarachnia commented.

That whole exchange made Botanica blink.

"You would accept Maximal leadership?" Botanica questioned.

"If you win the votes, yes," Queen answered, "The Tripredicus Council did a lot to deceive us. They did more than just hiding the truth behind their plans, they kept us in the dark about a great many things, and it was your Optimus Primal who took the time to explain the things that we were not educated on."

Botanica looked to the transmetal two gorilla who was standing by calmly, though she could also notice some frustration on his face.

"Very well, then," Botanica said slowly, "We will agree to trust you… but do not make us feel that our trust was misplaced…"

Queen nodded and then glanced to Optimus.

"In the meantime, what is all this?" Orx wondered.

"This was what the Tripredicus Council had intended to use for the body for the new Unicron," Rattrap answered, "but once we took the council down and freed the sparks… all this is, is a space station."

"What do you need a space station for?" Botanica asked.

"Mostly security," Optimus said slowly, "the Tripredicus Council rigged everything to their base… when we took that down… it's like all Cybertron went brain dead… the power is still there… but nothing is controlling it."

"A nerve center?" Rosalon wondered, "This is your base now?"

"Until we can get Cybertron up and running again," Queen answered, "Which we can't do until we get the sparks online…"

Botanica slowly moved further into the command area of the station and easily noticed the massive internal chamber. She figured that the sparks would have likely been kept here as well. As she finished her look around, she noticed a sort of digital map on one of the screens near the station's control panel.

"They built links to the Oracle and the Matrix?" Botanica wondered, "Whatever for? Wouldn't their trade for the sparks occur elsewhere?"

"More than likely to more easily allow Unicron's spark to move here," Optimus answered.

"That and the fact that the transformers that have been 'spiritual' enough to be able to interact with Oracle and Matrix are usually on the scrawny side," Rattrap commented, "they wouldn't want their lone transformer who could interact with what amounts to Cybertron's 'deities' in a position where it could be part of a major battle"

"Do you know any transformer that spiritual among your followers?" Botanica then asked to Optimus Primal, "Maybe know just how Cybertron should be rebuilt?"

A frustrated grown escaped Optimus's lips and he looked down while rubbing the back of his head with one hand. Tigatron, now Tigerhawk had had somewhat of a spiritual personality on Earth, but that had been in connection with Earth's organic ecosystem. He seemed the most connected to the flora and fauna of Earth. To Optimus they were interesting, and deserving of scientific study, fitting the explorer in him, but Optimus did not get a personal feeling of serenity from simply being out in the wilds. He needed at least some access to Cybertron's technology. Tigatron routinely remained well away from the base and in the wilds for days at a time. Optimus didn't know or think that that sort of connection to an organic system would translate over to a heavily technological world, like Cybertron.

"None that would really help with regards to getting Cybertron rebuilt," Optimus finally sighed, "The first priority will be to get the protoform factories back online and go from there."

"Then let us help," Botanica offered.

"Any help will be appreciated," Optimus nodded.

"I'll go along and help," Rattrap volunteered, "You guys got this area well taken care of… and Blackarachnia can manage all the systems well enough."

The transmetal rat then moved over to lead the newly arrived plant transformers out and back toward the hangers.

**Cybertron, Caves**

Tigerhawk and Airazor continued to move deeper into the cave, largely following the water that seemed to be flowing in an underground river. As they did so, they continued to see what looked like offline primitive transformers, all suffering from various injuries that looked as though they had been damaged by similar weapons. The strangest thing was that the primitive transformers bore no insignia and many were not even positioned in a way that they could have used the weapons they had on the others. Many were even in positions that would seem to indicate that they were doing would be typical of organic beings.

"All of this is so odd…" Airazor commented, "How could all this happen… the positions… many look like they were people going about their lives for food or drinks or shade."

Airazor then stepped over another dead primitive transformer that carried some battle damage.

"And yet they look like they've been through a war and have been left behind," Airazor finished.

Tigerhawk paused looked at the scene around the part of the cave that they were in. Again, the sight made him sigh. He wasn't a coward, not in the slightest. In fact, if given a just cause, Tigerhawk was quite willing to be just as ferocious as any other transformer that had gone through the Beast Wars. What troubled him and made him truly hate warfare was senseless death. Opposing Megatron on Earth was the right thing to do, and so was defeating the Tripredicus Council, but from what they could see in these caves, the deaths were senseless.

The primitive transformers that seemed to have died looked as though something big and powerful just went through and blasted them. The fact that they were left where they fell also made it senseless. Cybertronian history had long carried a great deal of respect for fallen warriors. Transformers who grew old and passed on were honored as well, but it seemed that fallen warriors got the most prestige for their sacrifices. Dinobot in his various monologues on honor and battle made frequent mention of this.

"I am beginning to think that Cybertonians weren't the result of this," Tigerhawk said slowly.

"How so?" Airazor wondered, "Cybertron has had who knows how many civil wars…"

"Yes, but Cybertronians do tend to respect and care for their dead," Tigerhawk answered, "These primitive transformers have just been left lying where they fell…"

Airazor was silent and continued walking on in deep puzzlement. She wondered what could have attacked Cybertron in such a way. At the time this happened, Earth was still developing. In fact when they landed on prehistoric Earth at the beginning of the Beast Wars, humanity was only just beginning to truly develop. It was on Earth during what they called end of their Pleistocene Epoch and the beginning of their Holocene Epoch. And Cybertronian technology already existed, since records indicated that the Ark and the Nemesis did not leave Cybertron with a different time entered into their main navigation computers. That had to mean that these primitive transformers were even older than that!

"But what could…" Airazor began to ask when she tripped over something.

She had looked to Tigerhawk when she spoke and tripped over something. The only thing that was hurt by this was her pride, though she noticed an odd look on Tigerhawk's face as he helped her up.

"What is it?"

"Look what you tripped over," Tigerhawk said pointing.

Airazor looked back and her optics widened in surprise at what she saw. Laying there was what looked like a giant crystalline skull with a giant eye socket with two sections and a host of hair like tentacles that also trailed behind the skull.

"It's a Vok!" Airazor gasped.

"Yes," Tigerhawk nodded, "It would appear that the aliens that gave us so much trouble in the Beast Wars also attacked Cybertron at one point in its ancient history."

That gave the two Beast Warriors some answer as to the result of the battle. The Vok had proved to be dangerous enemies when they decided that the Beast Wars had interfered with their plans for Earth. Their attack on Cybertron probably had some sort of plan behind it, and that is what created more questions in the two of them. Mostly about what the plan was and how they related to Cybertron's origins. They only thing they could really do to answer these questions were to keep looking.

They quickly resumed looking through the caves and moving deeper and deeper. The mysteries of Cybertron's origins had to be at the bottom of these caves. Figure out what made Cybertron shift from an organic world and into a robotic one would be determined by going deeper and getting to the bottom of the caves. Their trek produced more dead Vok and more dead primitive transformers, but the bigger thing was that the caves were starting to get narrower. That had to be a sign that they were getting closer to the bottom of the caves and closer to what would be the answers they sought.

"Maybe this is why the Vok were so hostile to us on Earth," Airazor commented as they passed another Vok that looked dead. It's body had been reduced to a crystalline form and looked lit it had been scorched by various weapons and even an unknown energy wave. "Because it looks as though their attack on Cybertron not only failed, but was repulsed with heavy losses…"

That actually made Tigerhawk blink as he had not expected that sort of conclusion, but it did make sense. They had only known of two Vok members during the Beast Wars, and the transformers that had been created had been made to serve them. With only two of the aliens there, perhaps they had a larger population at one point and failed in a war that reduced their numbers, which produced a strange 'survival' complex.

"Might also explain why their technology and abilities focused on the creation of things such as energon and non-robotic structures that functioned as though they were single devices," Tigerhawk nodded, and then turned his head when there was a kicking of stones further in the caves.

"Was that you?" Airazor asked slowly.

Tigerhawk shook his head. It was something else and it came from deeper within the caves. They carefully made their way toward the sound. It could be an animal, but given how long Cybertron's histories stated that it had a robotic planet, that was unlikely. While the caves were a sign of an organic planet at one point, neither Tigerhawk nor Airazor had seen anything that would support any sort of life, even the kind that lived in caves all their lives on Earth. More than likely it could be a Vok that survived the apparent battle and never made it back to its own home world.

The sounds grew louder as they approached, and Tigerhawk thought he also heard sounded like the movement of gears and robotic joints. He then wondered if maybe a primitive transformer somehow survived down in these caves, though he couldn't ponder for too long, as the caves began to narrow as he and Airazor got closer to the end of them and to whatever was making the noise. He also began to notice what almost looked like circuitry on the walls of the cave, which made him even more curious.

"Hello!" Tigerhawk called into the darkness, "Do not be afraid, I'm not here to harm you!"

"You think it'll understand us?" Airazor wondered, "what if it's like the primitive humans on Earth… they didn't speak the same languages as the humans that the Autobots defended when they awakened from stasis lock."

"We have to hope," Tigerhawk sighed, "we have to make contact."

Airazor only nodded as they heard more scuffling sounds and then footsteps. Both stopped as the footsteps grew closer and closer. Eventually, two red optics appeared in the darkness in front of them.

"Who are you?" the owner of the red optics asked in a firm voice.

"I am Tigerhawk, this is Airazor, we are Maximals… one of the present factions of Cybertron," Tigerhawk said slowly, "Who are you?"

The owner of the optics came slowly forward so that he came into clear view and said in a voice that carried a great deal of personal authority behind it.

"I am Vector Sigma."

**Above Cybertron**

Botanica felt heavily disheartened by what she saw as they brought their exploration ship down into what had been Cybertron's capital city. She and her crew had detected the problems that were on Cybertron when they arrived and now they knew why. The uprising by the Tripredicus Council and the use of a powerful transformation lock virus that had been developed toward the end of the Great War. Optimus and his crew had beast modes thanks to their time on prehistoric Earth, but the transformation lock virus forced the transformers that had been on Cybertron to take beast modes as well. Botanica and her crew took on plant forms for their alternate modes.

"How do you plan to get rid to the transformation lock virus?" Botanica asked.

"I really don't know," Rattrap said slowly, "it's one of a million things that will need ta be done, and none of them can be done effectively until we can get bodies for the sparks that we liberated…"

"And what of Queen and her ambitions?" Rosalon asked aloud, "even if she accepts a democratic government… there is still a lot to be done with how that government will be structured."

"I really don't know, I ain't good with any of that political stuff," Rattrap said with a shrug as Orx brought the exploration ship down at one of the landing yards, "Though given the moves she put on Optimus… I'd say the prime thing she'd want is a… well I suppose a more limited monarchy. She and Optimus would be King and Queen and there'd be some sort of council that works with them…"

"Something like that might work… but I'd think we'd need more active transformers to be involved in the decision," Botanica commented, "Something you said can't be done until you get protoforms ready?"

Landing went relatively quietly and they slowly began to make their way through the ruined streets that once been Cybetron's capital city. As they walked, Botanica couldn't help but get a close look at wrecked buildings. Cybertron had a great of beauty to in the way it had been arranged and the way lights were arrayed to either light up the night or advertise something. Now none of that was possible and part of her should feel greatly saddened by the destruction of what had been the pride of Cybertronians everywhere. Strangely though, Botanica actually felt hurt that there was no plant life.

"Must have been the time on Vegatas," Botanica thought to herself, "the place had a great… natural beauty that would be hard to match…"

She then looked over to Rattrap the obvious fact that he had a beast mode. That made her wonder if the transmetal Maximal felt saddened by the lack of animal life on Cybertron.

A block away, Rhinox kept an eye the work the others were doing. The goal for the group was to get the spark containment unit into the old Maximal Elders Council Building. There it would be at least sheltered from any rain or possible outside interference and might be more easily defended if the Tripredicus Council had any other followers out there that might return to Cybertron. The building was one of few that were of sufficient size to hold the spark containment unit and was still connected to the power grid.

"Can we blow it yet?" Terrorsaur asked impatiently, almost as if he were whining.

"Not yet," Rhinox sighed, "We got the unit hooked up to the building's power supply, but we haven't gotten confirmation on whether or not blowing a hole in the wall will allow us to keep the power going to it."

"Makes me wish we had Rattrap here," Cheetor commented, "He would be pretty good with these sorts of things… shoot, he might even be able to demolish it without doing damage to the power even if there was a risk."

Rhinox nodded. Rattrap was good at a lot of those things, but that was generally part of the issues Cybertron was facing. Everything it had been had been destroyed by the Tripredicus Council's war and now everything had to be rebuilt and the Cybertronian race restored. At present there simply weren't enough to do everything that needed to be done in a way that would work. This was further complicated in the difficulty that would come from some of the projects.

"I don't think we're that bad," came Repair's voice as the beaver transformer came up with Wired by his side.

"Things are safe?" Rhinox asked.

"Overall…" Wired said slowly, "Yes. This outer area will lose power, but the cables we've rigged go to circuits that the demolishing of the building won't touch."

"So can we fire now?" Terrorsaur asked.

"Yes," Rhinox said with a sigh, "Just remember to keep your shots aimed so that nothing bounces back at the spark containment unit."

With that Terrorsaur and many of the transformers, particularly those that were Predicons, took to firing multiple blasts of whatever weapons they had on them at the exterior walls of the old Maximal Elders Council Building. Rhinox could only sigh as the already grand structure shook under the shots. As he did so, he found Packadex and Mammoth came and stood beside him. While none of them could fly, they were big enough to block the larger pieces of debris that flew toward the spark containment unit. Smaller pieces did hit the unit, but thankfully they had nowhere near the size or the velocity to damage the unit.

This went on for a few minutes until they heard a voice come up behind him.

"Hey-uh Horn-head, what's with the target practice?" came Rattrap's voice, "Bored with waiting around or what?"

Rhinox then turned to see Rattrap approaching, which wasn't too much of a surprise, but he was shocked by who was with him. They were transformers, but they seemed to have alternate modes that would be plants rather than animals or vehicles or some other technology.

"Rattrap… who… who…" Rhinox said slowly, finding it hard to form words.

"Oh… these are some explorers that weren't on Cybertron when all this mess started," Rattrap answered with a shrug, "This is Rosalon, Orx, Botanica, and Pinbot. Vegatas Exploration Team, this is Rhinox."

"A pleasure to meet you, Rhinox," Botanica said carefully.

The two slowly shook hands and Rhinox kept his focus on the Vegatas crew.

"Vegatas…" Rhinox said slowly, "That's…"

"Its ecology seems to be dominated by more sentient plant life rather than animal or robotic life."

"That might help with some of our filtration issues we'll need to deal with the transformation lock virus," Cheetor commented.

"Hmm?" Botanica wondered.

"As I'm sure your ship's sensors detected or from what Rattrap might have told you, when the Tripredicus Council launched their uprising they unleashed a transformation lock virus that unless you've had prior vaccination… or an organic alternate mode, you won't be able to change…" Rhinox sighed, "To get around this we'll need a sort of filter to remove it from the air… the problem is that no known mechanical filter has ever worked with the specific virus that was used…"

"How would a plant based filter be any different?" Rosalon asked curiously, "While plants can combat pollution… they're extremely fragile and do not work well in the long term. We even noticed that on Earth where they did have an ecology. The plant life there DID remove their pollutants, but it came at the cost of several generations of trees and other plants dying from the pollution and humans then planting NEW ones to replace them."

"The idea was to somehow combine the organic plants with something more mechanical," Cheetor commented, "Sort of like how we are now a combination of organic and technological."

Rosalon blinked to Botanica, "Could that work?"

"I suppose in pure theory that could work… the key problem though is determining what technology you're talking about and how advanced it is," Botanica commented, "humans have experimented with cybernetics, and they've become quite advanced after meeting Cybertronians… but even they've found that the more advanced the limb, the more they need to actually alter their own brains in order to process the commands to the new limb, as they've found that the only way around that fact that a mechanical system by its very nature DOESN'T behave the way an organic system does. The only plants that have the ability to process that sort of alteration are on Vegatas. On no other planet has plant life advanced that far…"

There was a short silence as Botanica traded looks with Rhinox and Cheetor and then to Rattrap.

"But in theory it could work," Botanica then finished, "the plant's system could take the pollutant in but have its respiration and cleaning system be more mechanical. The pollutants and things the plant can't use can go into a vat that is connected. We could also attach what would amount to a diagnostic sensor and keep track of the plants condition."

Rhinox then sighed heavily. These solutions went against everything he thought Cybertron was, but it was also the only thing that might stand a chance of cleaning the planet. He also had to admit they were rather ingenious.

"That will have to wait until we can get the spark containment unit here into the old Council building," Rhinox then sighed, "it'll be easier to defend and we'll be closer to what had been the old Maximal protoform factories."

**Cybertron, Caves**

Tigerhawk and Airazor stood in surprise and awe at the answer that was given to them. Cybertron had great legends of Vector Sigma, which generally stated he was the origin for Cybertron's existence as an industrial planet. Those legends generally depicted Vector Sigma as a sort of robotic god on par with the Oracle and the Matrix, and said that he literally created Cybertron as a robotic world. The fight with the Tripredicus Council, however, had proved at least part of those legends wrong. If Cybertron was created as a robotic planet, they should be able to go straight through the planet and come out the other side, as if Cybertron were nothing but a massive space station. But, they had found soil and earth and rocks and a massive cave system that went under the tunnels and conduits that made up Cybertron's basement levels. This meant that Cybertron had been an organic world at some point in its history.

Though, that origin didn't kill all of the Vector Sigma legends, as Cybertronians could have been mistaken on how he made it an industrial world. Given what they'd discovered so far, they figured it would mean that he turned the organic Cybertron into the robotic Cybertron. That still left the myths that Vector Sigma was a robotic god intact, but those myths were shattered by what Tigerhawk and Airazor saw before them.

"You… you are Vector Sigma?" Airazor asked slowly, trading glances between Vector Sigma and Tigerhawk.

"Yes," Vector Sigma answered calmly, "and how did you find me?"

"We found the caves and realized that Cybertron was once an organic world," Tigerhawk answered, "We… I personally wished to find out more about this and see if it might help for the future."

"The future has already be preserved for Cybertron," Vector Sigma said coldly, "the planet's very name shows that future."

Tigerhawk and Airazor both looked to him. There was a great deal of venom in that tone of voice, and to some extent a great deal of pride. These were things one generally didn't attribute to legendary figures that supposedly created the world they knew. And that generally also ran with what they saw before them. Vector Sigma looked like the other primitive transformers they had passed in their descent into the caves. Parts of his body looked square and box-like, though forming a very thin frame with joints that were rather round and didn't quiet look right with his torso. Like many of the others, he had a weapon mounted in one arm, but unlike the others, it was larger and strangely looked like a key on Earth. Tigerhawk also strangely detected an alien energy signature on the weapon. His face was quite memorable and somewhat unnerving. It looked like a dark blue human skull with red optics that looked like they were housed in heavy monocles. Those monocles made it impossible for Vector Sigma to show any emotion from his optics.

"How long have you been down here?" Airazor asked, "How did you end up down here?"

"I've been down here so long that I've forgotten how long I've been here," Vector Sigma answered, "but I could never forget how I got here."

Airazor and Tigerhawk traded glances as Vector Sigma began to explain.

"You are right that Cybertron was once an organic world, filled with organic beings," Vector Sigma answered, "but it was weak and vulnerable. They had no defense against any technology and this was proved to them when the crystal aliens arrived…"

"The Vok," Tigerhawk spoke, "the Aliens called themselves the Vok."

"They attacked our research party on Earth," Airazor explained as the primitive transformer gave them a suspicious look.

"I see," Vector Sigma eventually responded, "Well… they came in a probe that scanned us and took our leaders… they never returned to us. Then these Vok left their invasion ship and began rounding us all up into camps while they began building a giant mechanical dome near one of the camps."

"What were these camps for?" Tigerhawk asked.

"For processing us into energy to feed their machines," Vector Sigma answered, "they were converting my people into energy and we had no weaponry to fight them."

Both Maximals found themselves feeling a bit sorry to the primitive transformer told his story of his friends being fed on by the Vok.

"Why did they attack Cybertron?" Airazor asked, "If your people were defenseless… what made the Vok want to Cybertron… were they…"

"They never said their mission was to convert us to their energy," Vector Sigma answered, "but they made the ridiculous claim that Cybertronians would wipe out their race and that they were merely preventing that future."

That made Tigerhawk and Airazor blink as they remembered the Vok's attack in the Beast Wars following various supposed instances of the Beast Wars interfering with their experiments or their plan for the timeline. There had only been two actual Vok in that attack. The rest had been protoforms programed to serve them. That must have been the future the Vok saw, and they tried to save their race, and failed. Vector Sigma, meanwhile, kept explaining what had happened.

"But we were helpless!" Vector Sigma grumbled, "We were nothing before their technology. And they used it to reshape our world…the building dedicated to our Goddess, Oracle, and within which the spiritual window to the afterlife, the well of souls, was transformed by their technology into a great giant mechanical circle within which burned great energy of what looked like little energy spheres…"

"Sparks," Airazor thought to herself, and inwardly shuddered at the Vok's powers. If the Oracle had been organic Goddess and the Matrix had been a magic well that gave Cybertronians a window into the afterlife and were affected and changed by the Vok's technology that made them a truly frightening species and made her glad that they were gone.

"So I'm going to assume you somehow stopped them?" Tigerhawk asked.

"Yes," Vector Sigma answered, "but it came with the realization that as we were we would never be able to beat the Vok's technology. We had to become better. We had to become more."

The primitive transformer then gestured to the key like weapon that mounted in one arm with a great deal of pride.

"So, when they came in to move the next group… I urged all of us to rush them at once," Vector Sigma said slowly, "the Vok's technology was powerful and we couldn't defeat them all… but they didn't all move together. We could overpower one long enough for one to escape them."

Tigerhawk began to get the way Cybertron truly became an industrial world. The technology that did it was the Vok's but the actual act of doing it was the act of desperation and possibly biased by jealousy.

"The Vok kept their weapon inside their dome, and with the them responding to force the others back into the camp, I managed to sneak into it," Vector Sigma continued, "once I got there and took their key and almost as soon as I touched it… I saw only a great light as my body became strong, became resistant to their weapons. When I could see again, I was as I am now… a living machine with the Vok's weapon as a part of me…"

"And you used it on your own people?" Tigerhawk questioned.

"I fired it into the satellite system the Vok was using to maximize the effect on the planet," Vector Sigma answered, "Every Cybertronian became as they were meant to be and became powerful enough to defend themselves against them. Even with it, though the Vok's wrath was great. They were defeated in the battle, but their last weapon opened a great fissure in the ground that lead into the caves that I had explored as a weak organic as a child. The attack claimed others that I had saved from the Vok and a few of the Vok as well… I did not even get to see the glory of the world I saved."

"Cybertron has changed greatly since your time," Airazor answered, "and we have evolved in a way."

"Evolved?" Vector Sigma answered.

"We can take alternate modes," Tigerhawk answered and shifted from his robot mode to beast mode. Airazor did the same.

Vector Sigma gasped in shock, as instead of two robots he saw a large bird and a mixed bird/tiger.

"What! You aren't Cybertonians! Not proper ones! You are weak and filled with organic material!" Vector Prime roared and raised his lone weapon and fired.

The shot was aimed more at Tigerhawk, who despite his great size was exceptionably maneuverable and he managed to dodge it.

"You're insane!" Tigerhawk growled, "There are dead transformers killed by the very weapons you put on them! If you had just changed yourself… you might have my respect and the respect of others… but did any of the transformers you changed know what you planned to do to them?"

"They were weak and needed to become stronger, would you rather I let the Vok kill them all?" Vector Sigma shouted back, "because that is what they intended to do!"

Vector Sigma moved to track Tigerhawk as he leaped into the air and bounced off the side of the cave wall. Before he was ready, Tigerhawk's body slammed into him like a ton of bricks and knocking him to the ground. Tigerhawk used one paw to hold the key-like weapon down and bring his own optics close to Vector Sigma's.

"I would rather you not perpetuate what the Vok did," Tigerhawk accused, "I would rather you gave your people a chance to choose their own destiny."

"WEAKLING!" Vector Sigma roared and raised one leg and kicked Tigerhawk off him, the blow was mostly a surprise as Vector Sigma was much stronger than he appeared, almost Vok empowered strong.

The blow sent Tigerhawk tumbling forward and he looked up to see that Vector Sigma had regained his footing, and stood over him whit his weapon ready. It began to grow with a seemingly dark blue energy that Tigerhawk inwardly feared.

"But don't worry," Vector Sigma vowed, "I will make you strong. I promise you."

He never got a chance to fire his weapon as a pair of darts came in and hit the weapon from the side. The explosion of the darts sent waves of electrical energy through Vector Sigma and threw off his aim. He then turned to see that Airazor had returned to her robot mode and shot at him.

"You may have had a noble start, Vector Sigma, but what you've ultimately done is just as bad as anything the Vok did to Cybertron," Airazor spoke, "If it was an accident and you never meant to, that would be forgivable… but it's clear you're too far gone for that."

Vector Sigma didn't answer in any coherent way, but howled in pain as his weapon continued to short out against him. "But… zzzzzz…. Vok… zzzzzzzz …urd…zzzzz… er… zzzzzz….ed…"

"The Vok are gone forever," Airazor answered, "Cybertronians DID wipe them out eventually… making their prophecy true, and they simply didn't know how to counter it. Goodbye, Vector Sigma."

Airazor only fired again, this time hitting Vector Sigma in the chest, sending him flying back into the narrow chambers he had emerged from, the energy from the weapon that was part of him beginning to radiate power outwards that both Tigerhawk and Airazor could feel. Tigerhawk got up and flew toward Airazor and she formed up beside him and they began speeding to get away from the area. They got about one hundred yards away when there was a great explosion that sent both of them crashing to the ground and shook the entire area.

"Tigerhawk… are you alright?" Airazor asked to the transmetal two fuzor.

Tigerhawk slowly got to his feet and looked back to the area where they had once been talking with a transformer who in legend made Cybertron.

"I'm as fine as I will be," Tigerhawk sighed when his radio came to life.

"Dinobot to Tigerhawk and Airazor, come in," came the male raptor's voice over the radio, "What in the name of the Matrix just happened! The entire cave just shook!"

"Just an encounter," Tigerhawk answered slowly, "with legends that should have stayed legends."

**To Be Continued…**


	8. Chapter 8

Beast Wars and all characters and things related are copyright and trademark of Hasbro and Mainframe Entertainment. This work, however, is the original work of the author.

Note: This story takes place immediately after "Saving Cybertron."

A Whole New World, Chapter 8

By TVfan

**Cybertron, Caves**

"So… the Vok attacked Cybertron before they attacked us on Earth in the Beast Wars," Dinobot mused as Tigerhawk finished his report.

"Yes," Tigerhawk nodded, "and it also means that Cybertron was at one point an organic planet… we became mechanical… not STARTING as mechanical from the beginning."

The transmetal two raptor nodded, but Tigerhawk could clearly see that the transformer he was talking to didn't really care about the origins of Cybertron.

"You will be aware that many will not see Vector Sigma the way you do now," Dinobot did warn Tigerhawk after a few moments.

"It is still the truth," Tigerhawk answered, "and I'm not arguing for everyone to become one hundred percent organic.

Dinobot didn't answer and merely returned to the work he'd been monitoring when Tigerhawk and Airazor arrived back at the base they'd been using since their arrival back on Cybertron. Rapther, meanwhile, looked slightly curious at some things.

"Did you find Cybertron's core?" Rapther wondered.

"I'm not sure if we found the core, but we did find the bottom of the caves, all rock," Tigerhawk answered, "natural in its design… much like the caves on Earth…"

"Though from the story we were told… much of these caves were first opened when Vector Sigma battled with the Vok and Vector Sigma in his jealousy of the Vok used the Vok's own technology to transform all of Cybertron," Airazor added, "though, all of it wouldn't really change the biggest part of the revelation that Cybertron was originally an organic planet."

"And what will you do with this revelation?" Dinobot questioned.

Tigerhawk thought for a moment and then answered, "To seek a balance between mechanical and organic."

The transmetal two fuzor then turned to Airazor, "Come on, we'll need to report this to Optimus or to Rhinox."

The two were quick to leave the caves that had been the original base.

**Maximal Elders Council Building**

Botanica listened quietly as bulky rhinoceros transformer continued to give a full update on the state that Cybertron was in. The Predicon leader, Queen, and the Maximal leader, Optimus Primal, had told them plenty had gone wrong in the Tripredicus Council's takeover of the planet. Rhinox had added a lot of the scientific details that the others had not been able to really tell.

"Our ship's sensors could detect the transformation lock virus… but we weren't truly sure on its concentration…" Botanica said slowly.

"It is that thick," Rhinox answered and then spoke slowly, almost as if he didn't want what he was about to say to happen, "which is why the idea of creating a plant/filter device that could safely clean the atmosphere."

Botanica then looked out over the cityscape around them. There were metal buildings with glass windows, asphalt roads, electronic lights, metal pipes, and everything that had made Cybertron, Cybertron. She was certain they could hybridize plant life and technology, particularly if using the plants of Vegatas that seemed to have levels of sentience on par with animals on other worlds. However, it was likely that the mechanical world of Cybertron would not be able to support such a conversion… not without being completely rebuilt...

"Such a program might mean rebuilding all Cybertron," Botanica said in warning, "techno-organic plants may be part machine, but it's likely that they'd still require soil and water… Everything that normal plants would need."

Rhinox didn't answer right away and remained quiet. Eventually Cheetor spoke to the rhinoceros transformer.

"We don't really have a choice, Rhinox," Cheetor told him, "The Tripredicus Council poisoned everything. We have all the sparks, but even if we had the protoforms ready… they would need animal DNA for their beast modes so that they could transform…"

"Or you could use Vegatas plant DNA, which we collected," Pinbot added.

"I know," Rhinox gave a depressed sigh, "but this is Cybertron… Earth and its natural beauty is nice… but that is where it belongs."

Cheetor slowly nodded, though he was a bit apprehensive with the overall situation. Rhinox had been quite willing to enjoy much of the natural world on Earth during the Beast Wars. He may not have been as spiritual about it as Tigatron, now Tigerhawk was, but Rhinox had still enjoyed it. But based on much of what Rhinox had said now that they were on Cybertron, his tone seemed to carry something that didn't sit right with Cheetor. However, the transmetal two Cheetah decided that Rhinox was largely still stressed from everything that the Tripredicus Council had put them all through.

"The real question," piped up Squeak as she hopped up onto a raised piece of twisted metal that had been part of the door frame to the entrance to the Maximal Elders Council Building, "is what do we do now? If we're to rebuild all of Cybertron do we dig down to the ground level all over? Or would this be something like Earth's cities with pots and things holding dirt for the plants?"

It was at that moment that footsteps were heard, and they cut Cheetor off before he could say anything. He turned to see Optimus and Queen coming back from a point deeper inside the old building where the spark containment unit had been placed. Both looked somewhat calm and Cheetor thought he could see relief on Optimus's face.

"The first real task is to get the protoform factories up and running again… or contact Cybertron's colonies and see if they have protoforms to lend," Optimus stated, "We need to make sure all of the sparks in the spark containment unit can be placed in a body and function again… that way we can know who the Tripredicus Council killed and who survived."

"That's assuming there's one that wasn't destroyed in the takeover or during the fighting," Cheetor commented.

"It's going to be a multi-part mission," Optimus crossed his arms across his chest, "we were only gone for what a few months with regard to when Megatron stole the Golden Disks?"

"That theft was about one year ago, now," Queen answered, "Your elders spent a great deal of time trying to find you and at first the Tripredicus Council ignored you and Megatron… but once some event in your war came back to threaten them… they changed their plans…"

"And created the war here," Cheetor acknowledged.

"Which is where reactivating the sparks comes into play," Queen told him, "Not only will they be able to help… but their presence will help with other issues…"

Optimus stood by quietly for a moment as Cheetor nodded. He looked around to see many of the others gathering around them. He knew about the other issues that Queen had mentioned, though for the moment he didn't think explaining what those issues were. He and Queen had talked over some of those things when they had gone to check on the spark containment unit. Optimus didn't entirely agree with Queen's ultimate idea, but knew much of Cybertron's future depended working with Queen's idea, which did relate to what Cybertron's government would be, in order to rebuild what the war had destroyed.

"So, what's the plan, Optimus?" Rhinox asked quietly.

"We need to find a protoform factory that might still be operational and get it running," Optimus answered, "the bodies the sparks came from have either been destroyed in the fighting or are too infected with the transformation lock virus the Tripredicus Council used…"

"It's essentially starting over from scratch," Queen gave a slight grumble, "much like everything else…"

"I don't think there's going to be anything in this area that would still work," Rattrap commented, "They turned everything into weapons factories and other facilities for war… and we trashed a lot of 'em… if not all of them."

"We might get lucky," Optimus answered, "and Cybertron should have several. One on another part of Cybertron might still be out there."

"So I take it we'll be moving around Cybertron again?" Cheetor asked.

Optimus nodded, "but don't rush things. The spark containment unit is working well enough that we can be careful."

Optimus watched as the gathered transformers traded glances for the moment. Many nodded and turned their optics to him.

"So, who will be going, sir?" Silverbolt asked.

"Preferably our flyers," Queen answered, "You will go, as will Terrorsaur, Waspinator, Airazor, Tigerhawk, as will Cybershark and Whiteout. You call can cover ground quicker."

Rattrap narrowed his optics for a moment, before raising one hand, as if to call a time-out. Optimus turned to him and waited for the transmetal rat to make his point.

"And suppose the Tripredicus Council trashed all of the protoform factories?" Rattrap questioned, "Queen even said that they completed the conquest well before we defeated Megatron on Earth. They had more than enough time to destroy them…"

Optimus only sighed and looked down for a moment. That thought had crossed his mind and was something he did worry about, but he also knew that they had push ahead with any move to ensure that the sparks were reactivated.

"If need be we can contact other Cybertronian colonies and protectorates," Optimus sighed, "that will require returning to Omega One… but it'd be the only of reactivating the transformers that the Tripredicus Council essentially deactivated…"

"All to get Unicron back," Rosalon commented from where she stood with the other Vegatas explorers, remembering what had been told to them on Omega One.

No one said anything for a few moments as a flash of relief and even some fierce judgment of the Tripredicus Council went through every present transformer. The generals were no longer present and the threat of Unicron coming back died with them, but all of them knew and feared what would have happened had they lost and the consequences that that failure would have had.

"What about the potential personality chips?" Silverbolt asked after a moment, "Should we find any of these factories?"

"By rule all protoform factories should have chips for both Maximals and Predicons," Rhinox answered, "that shouldn't be a problem. The problem is that we're trying to find if they still function."

Silverbolt nodded, "then should we be off?"

"Best to wait until our last two flyers arrive," Queen answered, "that way everyone knows where they are going."

Silverbolt sighed and looked up to see a clear sky. He then looked down to the others who were present. He saw several shrug, including a couple of the Predicons that had served in the Beast Wars.

0-0-0

A few blocks away Tigerhawk and Airazor were flying back toward the Maximal Elders Council Building to report their own findings on Cybertron's origins. To the transmetal two fuzor, the government of Cybertron was unimportant and restoring a fully mechanical Cybertron wasn't desired. The former was something that might have to be done, but was also something Tigerhawk had no personal interest in. The later was something that ran against Tigerhawk's own personal nature and something he knew the Oracle didn't want either.

Tigerhawk's chief concern was to try and get the others to accept that Cybertron was to change. Optimus might be open to it, either as a decorative idea or as a sort of compromise between mechanical and organic, but from what little Tigerhawk had heard, Optimus's closest confidant was against the idea, or at least seemed to be.

"Don't worry, Tigerhawk," Airazor comforted him as she flapped her wings in her beast mode, "change may never be easy… but in the end it always comes… regardless of what those who don't want change want."

"Change may come… but you know that things will be especially tough to get it made if no one agrees to help," Tigerhawk replied with a sigh, "even longer if they fight the idea…"

The two banked around a building and flew on. As they did so, Tigerhawk's optics were drawn to all the perfectly squared off edges with only a few rounded edges to the buildings. Normally this depicted the perfection of Cybertronian design of perfect angles and straight edges. Curves could be there on occasion, but were to be there for artistic purposes and were to be in a uniform pattern when used. It wasn't to match the randomized curves and edges in nature, or at least Tigerhawk had been told that much. That sort of perfection was not what Tigerhawk saw as beauty, at least not the beauty that he had loved on prehistoric Earth.

He supposed there was a beauty that had been there before the fighting against the Tripredicus Council had wrecked everything, as the cracks and broken windows and the jagged edges in many of the buildings demonstrated. The fighting and the destruction had robbed Cybertron of what others had told him had been a sign of Cybertron's perfection and industrial beauty by turning the planet into a war zone.

"The war has brought with it so much destruction," Tigerhawk said with a sigh, "many will simply want to rebuild what they remember. What we're going to be proposing is getting away from that… We're proposing to rebuild in a way that Cybertron regains much of its ORIGINAL form… but an original form that goes counter to what everyone knows… or thinks they know about Cybertron's origins…"

"But if the story everyone knows is wrong, is clinging too it really right?" Airazor countered, "And things may not be entirely new… suppose the buildings become… I don't know… some giant techno-organic tree… or something like that?"

Tigerhawk thought about it for a moment. He tried to picture what Airazor had described. He pictured giant bluish green trees with bark in small rectangles arranged in a way that they looked like cables running up the trunk and up into the leaves which looked like they had lights in them. It made for an odd picture that combined machinery and organic life in a way that was almost too perfect to be real, and probably was. The only way such a thing could be done was if what humans commonly referred to as 'magic' happened to combine the two.

"We might have to settle for something less artistic," Tigerhawk commented, "so long as organic life can live alongside Cybertronian life."

"Well… it was only an idea," Airazor quipped, "Something to brainstorm… after all… the Oracle didn't talk to me… it talked to you…"

"A lot of good that could do me," Tigerhawk grumbled.

He knew the Oracle had spoken to him, but since he had had a history of favoring the natural world over the mechanical one saying that would only be taken as some excuse to try and push a pro-organic agenda. On some level, Tigerhawk knew he did have a pro-organic agenda, but he didn't want to make it seem as though he was cheating or forcing something on the others. He knew that using the Oracle would only be seen as a way to try and twist wires to get his way and they wouldn't be likely to believe him.

"You'll have to be optimistic," Airazor commented, "and we're coming up on the group now."

Tigerhawk glanced to her and the focused ahead. They were indeed coming up on the Maximal Elders Council Building, which looked like its entire front doors and front façade had been blown out. There were a fair number of transformers standing near that opening, including a few who looked like they were part plant. This actually surprised Tigerhawk quite a lot, as he had not yet met the Vegatas explorers. Optimus and Queen stepped out into the opening as they came in for a landing. Airazor returned to robot mode as she landed.

"You came down from Omega One," Tigerhawk said slowly.

"Yes," Optimus nodded and gestured to the explorers from Vegatas, "As the Tripredicus Council took their war beyond Cybertron. This is Botanica, captain of an exploration and scientific team that had gone to Vegatas."

"Greetings, Tigerhawk," Botanica spoke, "These are my crew… Rosalon, Orx, and Pinbot."

The other three transformers gave a polite wave.

"They came investigating what sent the drones after them have volunteered to help us try to clean up the transformation lock virus that the Tripredicus Council used," Optimus answered.

"The idea is a sort of filter," Botanica commented, "something that could breathe it in and put out clean air… which would mean that we'd need to put together that would be something rather plant-like rather than animal-like."

"Plant-like?" Tigerhawk blinked.

"Yes," Botanica answered, "engineer a sort of bio-mechanical plant which can pull the virus out of the air and safely store it or clean it away… much the same way mundane plants are forced to clean the atmosphere in places where pollution is high…"

"Could that work…?" Tigerhawk wondered.

"In theory it can," Rosalon answered with a confident smile as she moved to back her leader, "mundane plants essentially did that job on Earth… granted it took a LONG time for the job to be done and on many levels the plant life there suffered… but in the end the plants there naturally did the work."

"And so we can try the same here, though with bit of mixing and matching between organic plants and Cybertronian mechanical systems to improve things and allow for them to interface with us," Botanica finished, "it'll mean a substantially greener Cybertron… but given time it should clean the atmosphere of the toxins that the Predicons pumped into it."

Tigerhawk thought he heard Queen give a 'humph' to the last part of the remark. He only shrugged.

"That'd be something to shoot for," Tigerhawk said slowly, "a more natural world…"

"I suppose…" Botanica replied, "Thanks for being open about it…"

Tigerhawk nodded and briefly turned to Optimus, "Optimus… Airazor and I found something in the caves… something concerning Cybertron's origins."

Optimus raised a hand and cut Tigerhawk off. The transmetal two fuzor opened his mouth in surprise, but managed to close it after a moment and looked up to the transmetal two gorilla. The Maximal commander's face was strained but calm. Tigerhawk wondered what troubled him, as it looked like Optimus was struggling with things just as he was.

"That can wait for the moment," Optimus answered, "I'm sure it's interesting… but for the moment it can wait."

"What is it, Optimus?" Airazor asked as she came forward.

"It's rebuilding," Optimus answered, "rebuilding after the Tripredicus Council will take time… the only way we can make that time be shorter… regardless of whatever Cybertron is to become… is reactivate the sparks of the transformers that the Tripredicus Council intended to trade for Unicron's spark."

"Shouldn't we have an idea as to what Cybertron will be first?" Tigerhawk questioned.

"It'll probably be something that is a mixed organic and mechanical world," Rhinox spoke up as he came out of the shadows, "I don't personally like it for **Cybertron**, but we likely don't have much choice for that given what lengths the Tripredicus Council went to."

"And you will probably be the one we turn to truly oversee the work and the design for the new Cybertron," Optimus added, "but we must activate the sparks first… or else we risk letting them perish."

Airazor nodded and then noticed Queen buzzing in to hover above Optimus and to look down on them.

"And activating them… we will then need to make sure that things fall into a proper order," Queen added, "a new government that… that balances things between Maximal and Predicon. One that can prevent these wars…"

Optimus sighed for a moment, "and getting a new government will require activating the sparks as well. Whatever the government is or will be, WE can't simply declare it on them… it'll mean a lot of work as the Maximal sparks may not be too eager to forgive Predicons like Queen or like Dinobot and Blackarachnia who all in their own way joined our side…"

"And you feel you'll be convincing them?" Tigerhawk questioned.

Optimus only nodded. Tigerhawk saw a look of frustration then flash over Optimus's face. Clearly Optimus was focused heavily on the immediate future and making sure that friends and allies didn't pay for past mistakes. Tigerhawk couldn't see any wrong in that and decided fighting Optimus on this wasn't the right thing to do.

"So what are we to do?" Tigerhawk asked.

"You and Airazor are to join the other flyers in seeing if there are any protoform factories that weren't destroyed in the fighting or torn down after the Tripredicus Council took over," Optimus answered, "If you find any… see if they're still functional. If not…let us know where they are and we'll get Rattrap out there to see what might be done to fix them."

"We can do that, Optimus," Tigerhawk vowed, "You can count on us."

**Cybertron Caves**

Rapther quietly patrolled through open area of the cave that had become the makeshift base for the resistance while the Tripredicus Council still ruled. Now it was likely to become a scientific and historical anomaly, if what Tigerhawk had reported to them was accurate. That Cybertron began as an organic world became mechanical because a lone 'transformer' went off the deep end when the Vok attacked Cybertron. Scientist would want to look at the caves more. Historians would want to see if there was any evidence of the presence of any alien life on Cybertron during its beginnings. Rapther wondered if it would even be possible, given that they'd only learned about the Vok in the Beast Wars.

"Where will we live?" Rapther wondered to herself in a way that was pondering more than just what the words meant.

She knew that if spared any prison sentence that Dinobot would probably petition to go where his skills as a warrior would be most needed. Probably guarding a colony from whatever might attack them, as they had come across other civilizations that had been aggressive towards Cybertronians or wildlife that simply happened to be dangerous. She didn't think that was a bad idea, as it would certainly ease any fillings of boredom, though, she personally felt that their best position would be to train Cybertron's future defenders.

"Perhaps you'll end up living under a tree," came a deep and mocking voice, "nursing a clutch of saurian eggs!"

Rapther glanced into the small section of the cave system she was standing near. She was slightly embarrassed at being caught voicing her question out loud, but had no intention of letting Megatron get to her.

"Better than rotting forever in a cell," Rapther snarled back, "You know you will end up there Megatron… that is if the other Maximals don't decide to extinguish your spark as punishment for all this."

"You seem to forget that, like Queen, I would oppose the Tripredicus Council," Megatron answered.

"But the Tripredicus Council used your actions as a rogue to take over Cybertron as the Maximal Elders moved to hunt you and rescue Optimus," Rapther answered, "if you HADN'T stolen the Golden Disks, they wouldn't have had the opportunity."

Megatron only laughed, "They may not have gotten the opportunity in this timeframe… but the Unicron spawn have been plotting the return of their parent for years. If not me then they would have found some other way to gain what they wanted. That's partially why I started the Beast Wars… to see Cybertron under a strong ruler who could deal with such threats."

Rapther only laughed back at him, "at the cost of any sense of honor and at the cost of every Autobot and Maximal through history… and likely at the cost of any Predicon that got in your way… essentially for the very reasons that will put you in prison for the rest of your life."

With that Rapther walked away. Megatron might irritate her, but with the Predicons not following him and with his limbs restrained, he was no threat to anyone and would only be an annoyance. He'd spend his life in prison. Rapther was more focused on thinking over what would happen to Cybertron's warriors when there were no wars to fight.

**Maximal Elders Council Building**

Optimus briefly returned look to the Spark Containment Unit after Tigerhawk and Airazor joined the other flyers on the mission. He looked to them and saw the potential future for Cybertron as well as the future the Tripredicus Council intended for them. He slowly reached out with one hand and placed a hand on the glass portion of the giant device. The tactile sensors in his fingers seemed to indicate that the glass was in good shape and there was no danger of it breaking.

"They'll all active again," came Queen's voice, making Optimus turn to look to her.

"They never should have been reduced to this in the first place," Optimus said slowly, returning his gaze to the spark containment unit.

Queen decided to let that go. She had learned enough about Optimus that he would fight for a fair government for Cybertron and that he truly didn't want any of the sparks, Maximal or Predicon, in the present position they were in. In this Optimus was unlike most of the Maximals had before the beginning of the war and the resistance.

"We can't change what the Tripredicus Council did," Queen answered, "Not in any way that would matter."

"We can only move forward," Optimus sighed.

"And I still say that you and I would be the best to lead Cybertron to that future," Queen answered, "The Predicons will follow me… and surely the Maximals will follow you. You carry the name of your greatest hero from the Great War. You are noble in ways that few can match. You and I would make a grand King and Queen… and then…"

"And then we would be dictators," Optimus cut her off, "The Maximals that lost their sparks might accept and even vote for me… but they would never accept a system that wouldn't be democratic… not without being allowed to agree to its existence first."

"And suppose they decide to oppose giving my faction a fair future when they come back online?" Queen demanded, "Suppose they vote to block the Predicons out?"

Optimus sighed, "You know that I wouldn't allow that… that I wouldn't let them do that…"

"But can you guarantee that you would win the vote?" Queen narrowed her optics as she looked to the much larger Maximal.

Optimus only sighed and gazed into the Spark Containment Unit. That was one thing he could never be fully sure of. Optimus was certain that democracy was the best form of government, but that didn't mean a democracy always made the right decisions. Things that were popular weren't always the right decision, and Optimus knew that his own faction had made its own share of mistakes. Creating Protoform X, Rampage, was one of those mistakes. He knew that after what had happened, many Maximals would not be in a very forgiving mood with regard to the Predicons. Particularly to Predicons like Queen who had been in leading roles in the Tripredicus Council's takeover.

"I can't guarantee that we'd win," Optimus admitted, "but that doesn't mean the system is flawed. It'll only mean that what is right is not popular. Forcing it, regardless of how right it is, will not fix things and would only force things into some sort of police state…"

Queen buzzed her wings so that she was hovering at a height equal to Optimus's height standing.

"And that would only stiffen resistance to what you want," Optimus finished.

Queen gave a slight laugh, "What I want is a place of leadership… I suppose you could say I truly AM a Predicon in that way… but it's only to secure a balance that was denied us… even if by fools who wanted us to resent the Maximals. Having the Maximals oppose that balance would only put us back where we started."

"Then we lobby and argue for it," Optimus answered, "in time things will turn toward progress. And if you retain leadership of the Predicons and keep them from anything like Megatron's plot with the Golden Disks… then things could move toward progress and justice… possibly even within our lifetimes."

"And would you fight for this?" Queen questioned.

"Of course," Optimus answered.

"And that is the nobility I admire in a potential spark-mate," Queen smiled.

0-0-0

In a different room, Botanica sat quietly trying to think of ways in which Vegatas' flora could be combined with Cybertronian technology to create a mixed machine and plant that could filter out the transformation lock virus that the Tripredicus Council had used when they took over Cybertron. Container systems were easy. They could be pressurized sphere with a one way opening that wouldn't allow anything that went into come out. However, they still had to be wired and intermixed with a specially engineered tree. This could be done in two ways; one was to find a way to intermix independent filtration devices with existing Vegatas plants. The other was finding a way to arrange things so that the tree and the filtration machines were formed together. Both could be done, but one would require a massive transplanting effort, the other would require a skilled bio-geneticist with a surplus of the required plant DNA there to be manipulated so that the plant fibers formed systems that approximated machinery.

"Whatcha workin' on?" came Rattrap's voice from a nearby doorway.

Botanica turned to see Rattrap enter quietly and come toward her.

"Mostly some ideas on what will likely need to be planted in the new Cybertron," Botanica answered, "I'd think the base idea would be to have a sort of tree be the organic foundation for the filtration system."

She then handed the transmetal rat her data pad with the comment, "everyone says you're the Maximal's main engineer/mechanic… do you think the idea would work?"

"In terms of coming up with devices, Rhinox would probably be the better engineer," Rattrap commented and took the datapad, "I'm only good at fixing known devices that are broken… or breaking stuff you need broke."

Rattrap thought he heard Botanica laugh as he looked at the pad. Many of the trees looked like scaled down versions of oak trees, but with very thick trunks. In fact, to Rattrap's optics, the trunk of the drawn trees looked thicker than what images of Earth plants demonstrated.

"This is a specially engineered oak?" Rattrap asked.

"A variation of one of the various species of oak-like trees on Vegatas," Botanica answered, "we did run some tests while we were there… these trees did commonly remove potential contaminants without taking as much damage as might be thought…"

"So it's a tough plant," Rattrap chuckled, "Good to know. Good to know."

He then looked over the rest of the design. Part way up the tree there seemed to be a computer panel that looked like it had been mounted on the outside of the tree. Rattrap guessed that this was to be connected to diagnostic equipment. Further up the trunk there were several round canisters that were designated as being made of glass and normally would be empty. Rattrap also thought he saw a specialized top on the canister that would allow it to be removed and exchanged with new canisters as needed. There was also a second set of canisters that were further up in the tree and were hidden by the leaves. There were more of these around its roots as well.

"What are these second set of canisters for?" Rattrap questioned, pointing to one of Botanica's notes on the data pad.

"Those are going to be nutrient canisters that will enable us to provide concentrated food for the plants," Botanica answered, "Cybertron's atmosphere has an atmosphere that would be effective for them naturally… but since we're going to be relying on these trees as a natural filter… we'll need to make sure they're given a surplus of the materials plants need just to keep them from dying."

Rattrap widened one optic in a puzzled way, and looked at the image again. This sounded like fertilizer and the specific nutrients that humans sometimes commented on to transformers visiting Earth. Rattrap doubted there was any of this on Cybertron as it was.

"We'd like need to import a lot of the things that the plants would need," Rattrap commented.

"A plus for Earth and exploration of Vegatas," Botanica answered, "though… a lot of this will need time and good 'natural engineering,' if there is a word that could be used for it."

"That'll have to wait until Queen gets her throne, ya know," Rattrap told her.

Botanica gave a heavy sigh and gave a grunt that agreed with Rattrap, but said nothing more for the moment.

**Elsewhere over Cybertron**

Tigerhawk found himself alone as he began the mission to find any protoform factories. He felt a bit better than he had felt a while before. There had been no need for a great argument, as it seemed that their overall situation seemed to force things toward a more organic Cybertron. That gave him some sense of relief, though he was sure he'd likely need to come up with some thoughts on everything that would be done. Bringing organic life in anyway would require rebuilding Cybertron completely, and he had to admit that Optimus was right that it would take a lot of work to do so.

The only thing that Tigerhawk really had questions on was what the Oracle really wanted out of a reintroduction of organic life to Cybertron. He knew the planet was an organic world originally, but it had been mechanical for so long that a completely organic world would be impossible. There were certainly ideas and images of what the new Cybertron could look like. One would be just bringing in a large number of garden plants in pots and using them as a sort of decoration the way humans in some cities did for their parks. Then there was the image that Airazor had raised with the plants being a perfect mix of plant material and Cybertronian material becoming a sort of techno-organic life from that would be on par with the organic nature of the transformers presently on Cybertron. He wondered which of the two that the Oracle preferred, but he hadn't had an opportunity since being on Omega One. He likely wouldn't get another shot to be there for a while.

"So… progress moves on," Tigerhawk mused to himself as he scanned the ground below him, "there is a lot still to do… but then… I suppose that is all in the future…"

**To be Continued…**


End file.
